Obsession
by The Struggling Warrior
Summary: Danny Phantom has lost everything, including his purpose as a ghost. With no family or friends to anchor him, can he fight off his pain, solitude, and darkness as he struggles to come to terms with what a hero truly is?
1. Tragedy

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Sometimes in tragedy we find our life's purpose." Robert Brault

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><p>Chapter 1: "Tragedy"<p>

There are moments when despair is so deep that tears cannot fall. When people lose everything they love, they cannot make themselves grieve properly. Instead, the sadness stays in the heart, never escaping.

Men and women can be driven insane in such instances. They can only think about what is lost. The joy in living is completely gone.

This is how Danny Fenton felt as soon as he regained consciousness.

In his hospital bed, Danny could only feel pain. Despite his numerous cuts, bruises, and burns; he felt no physical pain.

No, his pain was one of a shattered heart.

Danny had lost everything. He had lost his family. He had lost his only friends. He had lost the only teacher who actually cared about his future.

Nothing he cared about was left, and it was his fault.

A selfish choice on his part destroyed everything. All he wanted was to pass the C.A.T.s. To ensure his future, he decided to cheat on the most important test of his life.

Ironically, this choice destroyed the future.

Because he made a selfish choice, he ruined everything. He would become the destroyer of the entire planet.

In some twisted future, he would forsake his humanity and release his pain and rage on every other being in existence.

Danny knew this because he faced his future self. In that twisted future, the past Danny confronted the future Danny.

The future Danny knew that this knowledge would change the future, so he decided to ensure his existence.

Dark Dan, as what the original Danny called him, traveled into the past to make sure that his family and friends would die.

Determined to stop him, the original Danny traveled back to his own time, too. Present day Danny Phantom bravely fought his future self. He used every power, tactic, and weapon available to him. Despite this, he was still no match.

The Future Phantom beat him down with complete ease. The present day Phantom knew that his future self only used a small fraction of his power. Killing his past self would only lead to his own demise.

Danny had been able to stop his future self, however, by using the element of surprise. Danny used a power that he was not supposed to get for another ten years.

He did not know how he gained this power. Maybe the future conditions of the planet during his visit brought it forth. Maybe all the stress had awakened it. Maybe his half ghost body awakened this power to stop the threat.

Danny was not sure. But what he did know was that he used his and his future self's most powerful attack, the Ghostly Wail, to stop the fight.

His future self was far completely defeated. Dark Dan had took two direct hits and was still standing. The Fenton Thermos made sure that he would no longer be an issue at that moment, though.

It was then that Danny turned his attention back to his family and friends who were tied to a boiler that was ready to explode.

The fight had exhausted Danny's ghost powers. So the only thing he could do was run to them.

Danny did not know what he could do to help them. He could not break the ecto-ropes holding them. He could not turn them intangible. Nothing he did would help.

Maybe, just maybe, he wanted to die with them. This was not to be, though.

He collapsed in a heap long before he got close to them.

Timed stopped for him at that moment. The only thing he could do was look at them before they died.

Danny looked each of them in the eyes before the explosion.

His parent's eyes showed acceptance. They in their last moments had accepted who and what he was. His goofy parents accepted him as their son, as a ghost, and as a hero. They loved him even if he was a ghost.

Mr. Lancer's eyes showed disbelief. The teacher was shocked to see his laziest student had tried so hard to save them. He know knew why Danny acted the way he did. Danny may have slacked on his school work, but he always worked hard to save the lives in his town.

Jazz's eyes showed pride. She was proud that Danny was her brother. His sister was proud that Danny was a hero. She was proud that Danny would go so far to save not only their futures, but the future of the entire planet.

Tucker's eyes showed acknowledgement. He acknowledged that Danny was his best friend. He acknowledged that Danny as a warrior and a hero. The techno wiz even acknowledged that Danny would quickly had given his own life for them.

Sam's eyes…those beautiful violet eyes showed love. His female best friend loved him as a boy, as teenager, and as a soon to be man. She loved that he was a ghost and a hero.

She loved him despite his many faults. Sam loved him in a way that should have turned into something, but it never got the chance too.

Danny wished he had seen that love earlier.

All of their eyes, however, showed understanding. They understood that he did everything possible to save them. His family and friends understood that he could physically do nothing more to save them. All of them understood that he would never, _**never **_become that sick monster.

And mostly, they understood that they were going to die.

At that moment hot tears rolled down Danny's eyes. He had failed.

The only thing he could do was cry, "**NO!**"

Then time began to turn again.

The explosion was huge. Danny was blasted backwards. The fire cosumed everything it touched. His family and friends died quickly at least.

That was only a small comfort to Danny.

Now their was nothing. Dark Dan had won.

Danny now understood why he would want to forsake his humanity. His human heart screamed in silent agony. Every second was a constant torture. And worst of all no one was there to comfort him.

Many would consider it pathetic, but Danny had only six people in the world who cared about his existence. Everyone else mocked and hated Danny. They scorned him for his parent's beliefs. They sneered at him because of who he associated with. They spit at him for being who he was.

Danny wanted them to burn. He wanted them to burn like the people he cared about.

'This is how **he** felt,' Danny realized. 'But no, I will never allow my self to become that.'

He would not take his pain and inflict it on others. No, his loved ones would not have wanted that.

So, this hell would continue. He would suffer in silence. He would be a ghost who had nothing to give him purpose.

That was the worst thing about the situation. Danny was a ghost. Ghosts need an obsession. Their obsession was the reason they exist.

Danny's obsession was gone.

Without an obsession, a ghost would fade. They would pass into eternity. This was a fact.

Danny's case was different, though. He was only half-ghost. His soul was anchored to the physical plain as long as his body was still alive.

He would not fade. He would just be a shell of person.

He would live. What for, he did not know.


	2. Visitors

_For my story, the episode "_Flirting with Disaster" _happened before the _Ultimate Enemy _episode_.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Show me a hero and I will write you a tragedy." F. Scott Fitzgerald

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><p>Chapter 2: "Visitors"<p>

(Friday-November 6, 2009)

Everyone is a hypocrite. That was the one thought Danny Fenton had as he slowly healed in the hospital.

He had only been awake for about five hours. In this time, he noticed what had happened when he was unconscious.

His room was full of flowers and get well cards. It seemed like almost every one in Amity Park was grieving over his family and friends. They are all hypocrites.

The nurses were all being nice and smiley as they tried to comfort him. Those same nurses had, years earlier, treated his sister like she was the plague when she broke her arm. They are all hypocrites.

In an attempt to distract himself from his pain, Danny turned on the television. Every channel was reporting how the Fenton's were all martyrs who had died as heroes. Yet, just lack week, every news reporter in the city said that the Fenton's were freaks. They are all hypocrites.

Those people were the same people who had scorned and rejected his loved ones for years. The citizens of Amity Park border line hated the Fenton's and all those associated with them because they were different. Every single person in this town is a hypocrite.

Now, they were all acting sad because that was the correct way to feel.

Danny knew how they really felt. They were all terrified.

Ghost had become a common problem in Amity Park. Sure, there was property damage and stolen items, but no one had actually died from a ghost attack. Danny himself made sure of that.

There may have been close calls like during the mass invasion, but there has only been minor injuries in all.

Thus, this was whole new territory.

Not only did people die, they were the people most prepared to fight ghosts. The leading experts on ghosts died because of ghost.

If the ghost-hunters could be taken down so easily, how were any of them safe? That was what each person thought.

None of them truly cared that the Fenton's were dead. They only cared about themselves.

And it was in their best interest to be nice to the only human left who actually was knowledgeable about ghosts. The Red Huntress didn't count, because it was obvious that while she could shoot and fight, her understanding of why ghosts do what they do is nonexistent.

This made Danny stop and wonder, 'Why do I want to be their hero?'

He had fought tooth and nail for those hypocrites. He nearly gave his life (afterlife?) multiple times to stop the ghosts from hurting them.

What was his reward?

He has been shot at, cursed at, spit at, and yelled at. Very few people respected Danny Phantom for everything he did. And, God forbid if he made a mistake, because if he did, the response of the people would go from 'Go Danny Phantom!' to 'You suck!' and 'Go to hell!'

What sane person would want to fight for these people? In fact, why should those hypocrites live at all?

'No!' Danny yelled in his mind. He could not think like that. If he did he could become like **him**.

"Every life is precious, Danny!" Sam yelled that to him multiple times since they met. Usually, she was talking about animals, but now Danny used her message to calm his anger at the people of Amity Park.

The citizens of Amity Park may have been cruel to his loved ones, but they were still human beings. If what happed to him happened to someone else, he/she would feel the same pain as he did.

Those people were hypocrites, but they were also parents, spouses, children, siblings, lovers, and especially human beings. All of them could feel love, despair, hatred, happiness, fear, and pain.

Like his family…like Sam and Tucker…like him…

His loved ones cared not only about the people in Amity Park, but about every human being. They loved this world even though the world hated them.

He was just a child playing hero. His loved ones were the true heroes.

And though his heart cried to give his pain and suffering to others, Danny could never do that.

He would protect the stupid, ignorant hypocrites who mocked his family. He would be their hero.

That was what they would have wanted.

* * *

><p>Danny had many visitors over the next week. Most of them gave a few words of encouragement. Empty words that meant nothing to Danny.<p>

Most of the people never gave him the time of day before. Why should he give it to them now?

Danny need to focus on himself right now. He needed to kill the painful emotions and dark thoughts he had before he could force a smile and thank them.

So he mostly ignored them.

The reactions were different for each person. The majority of his visitors understood. A few, however, acted like he should kiss their feet for lowering themselves to visit Danny Fenton.

…sigh, people are stupid….

The police did ask him some questions about the incident. He told them that he was supposed to meet everyone at the Nasty Burger, but he was running late. When he heard the fight he ran the rest of the way, but he only showed up in time to get caught at the edge of the explosion. The cops seemed satisfied with his story and told him the rest about the incident.

Everyone knew about "new ghost." According to eyewitness, Jazz revealed that the new ghost impersonated Danny. The new ghost then attacked and captured the group and at that point everyone else fled the scene.

At least no one knew his secret…

Many of his fellow students showed up. The A-list students never did though. Danny expected that.

Some of the visits stood out in Danny's mind, though.

Valerie Gray was one of his first visitor. She arrived the day after he woke up. The secret ghost hunter seemed surprised that he was awake so soon, but appeared relieved that he was physically fine.

"Danny, are you okay?" The single most used question in these situations. Oh joy.

Danny wanted to say, 'Yep, I was just about to jump for joy over my incredible luck before you showed up! Here's your 'I'm stupid' sign.' but he stopped himself.

"Sorry, stupid question…" She apologized as she took a seat by him.

'Stay patient Danny, she just wants to help,' Danny thought.

"I know that you're going to hear this a lot, but I am sorry Danny," Danny could tell that she was truly sorry and that she actually cared about him. She probably didn't know how much that meant to him.

"Thanks.." He mumbled.

"You've sure got a lot of flowers. A lot of people must have been worried about you." Valerie smiled.

'I doubt it,' Danny mentally grimaced. He kept silent, though.

Valerie seemed disappointed by his silence. What did she want him to say?

"Everyone at school has been talking about what happened-" Her sentence was off.

"They're probably not saying good things…" Danny scowled. His group was not liked at school. They were outcasts among outcasts.

"Actually, most of the comments I've heard have been considerate and the A-list students have been quiet about it." Valerie's smile was shaky. She was telling a half-truth. Danny didn't care though.

Danny was stayed silent. He stared at the television in front of him. The news was once again talking about "The Nasty Burger Incident."

They were showing a short video that was captured by a camera placed down the street from the Nasty Burger. The video showed Danny's and Dark Dan's fight. The video lasted from where Danny first knocked Dark Dan away from the Nasty Burger to when he used the Ghostly Wail, which caused the footage to end by breaking the camera.

Valerie didn't say anything. She just copied him and watched the television. She was so focused, she actually jumped when he spoke again.

"I wish they would stop talking about them like them like that." Danny said.

"What?" Valerie questioned.

"They talk as if they knew them. They know nothing about any of them. Sam, Tucker, Jazz, my parents, and Mr. Lancer wouldn't want pitied like this. They were brave in the face of death. Unlike me, I should have done more, but…I couldn't…" Danny stopped there. He could not finish that sentence.

Valerie didn't need him to. She pulled him into a hug. The girl half expected him to start crying. She was a little worried when he didn't. It wasn't healthy to keep sadness in.

"It wasn't your fault. It was that ghost's fault. That one that was fighting Phantom. I don't know who that was, but…" Danny knew what she wanted to do to the ghost, but he knew better. Dark Dan was far too powerful for her to beat.

"I was my fault. They were all there because of me. If I had made a better choice, if I wasn't late then…" Danny did not get a chance to finish.

Valerie quickly pulled away and looked angry as she said, "Do not blame yourself for this. There was nothing you could do! No one blames you for what happened. If you need to blame anything, blame that thing that impersonated you!"

'But that was me' He could not say that.

Danny was touched by her words. He tried to give her a smile, but anyone could tell it was fake.

Valerie placed her hands over his and said, "I know that things have been weird after our brake up, but I want you to know that if you ever need someone to talk too, I'll be just a phone call away."

"Okay…"

* * *

><p>The next visit that stood out was less pleasant, but expected. After all, people were killed by a ghost, so the Guys in White were required to investigate.<p>

"Danny Fenton, we have a few questions we need to ask you." GIW #1 stated.

"…I don't need a lawyer do I? Because I already told the police what happened and you could just read the report or watch the news," Danny just had to be a smartass.

"No, we just need to know if you have any information about the ghost that impersonated you," GIW #2 answered. He didn't even flinch at Danny's comment.

"Well, like I said in the police report, I had just taken the C.A.T's and was tired, so I went home to sleep. When I got there, my parents told me that Mr. Lancer wanted to meet with us at the Nasty Burger. I figured I could still get a few hours of sleep, so I took a nap. I woke up later than I wanted and my parents were gone.

"I thought that they were just letting me sleep and went to the meeting themselves. But, I had the feeling I should go, so I decided to walk there. When I got close, I heard a fight going on, so I hurried to see if everyone was alright.

"I saw everyone tied up, so I ran to save them. Then the boiler thing exploded and…and…" Danny trailed off. He fought to keep the bile from crawling up his throat.

"It's alright son. So you don't know that ghost?" GIW #2 asked. Danny scowled. Only his dad could call him son.

"I never really saw him until I watched the news after I woke up. He looked tough though, he gave Phantom a beat down." Luckily, Danny had a lot of practice lying.

"Did your parents do any new experiments lately that could have angered that ghost?" GIW #1 questioned.

"THIS WAS NOT MY PARENT'S FAULT!" Danny fought hard not to let his powers activate in anger.

"Calm down, we know it wasn't their fault, we just need to learn this ghost's motives. It may have been threatened by something your parents built. That would explain why it targeted them." GIW #2 remained calm as he dealt with the teenager.

"…the last thing my parents were working on was a ghost tracking device. I don't see why it would be threatened by that." There was a phrase about pants on fire that popped into Danny's head.

"That is a mystery…we thank you for your time, Mr. Fenton, we hope your recovery will be quick." GUI #1 said.

As they were leaving, GIW #2 said, "Our condolences by the way."

Danny spent ten minutes mimicking those last five words after they left.

* * *

><p>Danny's third memorable guest received little acknowledgment.<p>

"Good afternoon Daniel," The old ghost suddenly changed into a young child, but it did not change his deep voice for some reason.

Danny said nothing.

"You are angry with me. I understand that. But I felt you had the right to hear an explanation." Clockwork was solemn as he spoke. Danny did not even look at him as he spoke.

"The Observants came to me wishing for your death. They thought killing you would save the future by eliminating your evil future self. They don't understand the consequences of just killing someone so important to the time stream.

"Killing you would not have solved anything. The Observants cannot see the consequences of such an action. They view time in merely on line. They have no way of knowing where a turn like your death will lead. I can though.

"The consequences would be unspeakable. Unfortunately, I could not alter everything. Even I, The Master of time, have limits on what I can and cannot do. But now the world is safe from "Dark Dan." I know that you will never will become that monster." Clockwork finished.

"I don't blame you, Clockwork. You did what was best for everyone, but why did they have to die. They were innocent. They were good. They…they should have lived. They deserved to live more than someone who is only half alive." Danny felt the grief ram into his entire being. His current suffering was unbearable.

"…Don't pity them Daniel. They are in a better place now. Unlike us ghosts, their souls passed on completely. They had no regrets when they left this world." The Master of time was now in the shape of a fully grown man.

Danny let out a hollow laugh. "I already knew that. But don't ask me to not focus on them. I know how ghosts work.

"A ghost is born based on 'unfinished business.' A ghost's one purpose is to complete said business or forever seek to fulfill it the best they can.

"If their reason for existence is gone for any reason, they disappear. Whether they complete it not does not matter. If they no longer have any business, their ectoplasmic bodies will fade and their soul will pass on into the next life.

"I, however, am a half-ghost. So what happens when my business is gone. My body won't fade, but my soul seeks a way out. This causes untold mental and emotional pain.

"Without my obsession, my friends and family, I am merely a shell. Tell me, how does that help the timeline." Danny was not angry, but his voice was still loud.

He truly did not blame Clockwork. The master of time did his job. The only one to blame was Danny himself. No matter what anyone said, he had failed to save his love ones.

"…It doesn't. That is why you need to move on." Clockwork said.

Danny's laugh was the laugh of a madman. "Hahahahaha! You want a ghost to move on from his obsession. You know that's impossible."

"Yes, I do, but that doesn't change the fact that the timeline needs you to."

* * *

><p>"…In other news, the Justice League's Captain Atom and Black Canary have arrived in Amity Park. We have been informed that they wish to investigate not only the deaths of the Fenton's, Tucker Foley, and Samantha Manson, but also all of the recent ghost activity that this city has experienced. When asked…" Danny muted the news as his guests walked in his room.<p>

In any other circumstance, Danny would jump at the opportunity to meet a member of the Justice League. This one single instance was the first and only exception Danny has ever had. And of course, this had to be the one instance the Justice League was in town.

"Hello sweety, could we have a few minutes, please?" Black Canary asked.

If Danny's soul wasn't in torment right now, his jaw would have dropped. Black Canary was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. Her blond hair was straight and silky. Her skin was flawless. It was obvious that she trained constantly, considering her perfect figure and muscles. Even Paulina would be green with envy.

Her outfit, however brought back memories of Sam. Sam would love this woman's fashion sense. This train of thought hurt Danny even more.

"Only my mom can call me sweety, but yes please come in," Even in this one terrible circumstance, Danny would never say no to a visit from the Justice League.

"Oh! I'm so sorry." Black Canary only had sympathy in her eyes as she spoke to him.

"It's fine.." Danny mumbled. It really wasn't, but he did not want to upset Black Canary more.

"Alright, Mr. Fenton, we won't beat around the bush here. We are here, because of your family's involvement with ghost hunting." Captain Atom was very respectful. He did not look down on him for being young. Danny instantly liked this man.

The Captain was incredibly muscular (He made Dash look scrawny and Danny look like a tooth pick). His skin was completely silver, except for his boots, gloves, and atom symbol. Those three things were bright red. He looked incredibly intimidating. Danny made a mental note to start lifting weights.

"Okay, ask away, but please call me Danny." Danny would show them the same respect they showed him.

"Alright Danny, from our understanding, your parents were the leading experts on ghost, correct?" Captain Atom asked.

"Yes, sir," Danny did not usually call people sir when he talked, but this was Captain Atom.

He did notice the past tense the Captain used. That hurt, a lot.

"Did they ever teach you anything about ghosts, Danny?" Black Canary's voice was very kind. It reminded him of his mother…

"Yeah they taught me a lot. Why?" Danny was confused.

"You see, no one in the Justice League has any real experience with ghosts. So this whole situation is new. We were hoping you knew someone we could refer to about ghosts." Black Canary explained.

"Well, there are not many people who study ghosts… there are a few ghost hunters, but they couldn't fight their way out of a paper bag. If you want, you can ask me, I do have fourteen years of experience in spectrology." Danny said.

Captain Atom and Black Canary shared a look. Well, it was not like there was anyone else to ask.

"All right, then, can you explain the basics?" Captain Atom asked.

"Okay, there are three types of ghosts. The first type is created when a person or animal dies. If the soul of the dead has an important reason or obsession, it will created a body of ectoplasm for the sole purpose of completing its obsession.

"The second type is created by an idea. If a story, idea, or thought is strong enough, it will eventually form a body of ectoplasm of its own. These ghost are stronger than the first type.

"The third type…is ah…it's a ghost who has an actually evolving personality. It's purpose is always changing. These are very rare ('Yeah, there are only two'). These are incredibly strong.

"They all live in the Ghost Zone. It is a parallel dimension of earth. Each ghost lives there, but is always seeking a way to our planet.

"Every ghost has the same basic abilities. They can fly, turn invisible, turn intangible, and overshadow human beings.

"Ghosts cannot be attacked by normal means. Many weapons are useless against them. That is why you need ecto weapons. Those are the only physical attack that will work. Your powers, however, may be a different story, but as you said, you never fought a ghost before, so we don't know. And that is the basics in basic form." Danny finished.

Both of his guests were wide eyed.

"Well… okay, that's informative." Black Canary said.

"Where can we get these ecto-weapon?" Captain asked.

"There is a secret government program which makes them, but I doubt they will give you any. The only other way is by, well Fenton Works, and my parents are…." Danny trailed off.

"That's an issue for anther day. Thank you Danny. There is one more question we need to ask you." Black Canary changed the topic.

Captain Atom and Black Canary shared a look again then looked at the young Fenton.

"What?" Danny was now concerned.

"We need to find Danny Phantom. Do you know where he could be?" Captain Atom asked.

"Um…How could I know that?…Well, he did have a big fight…So, he's in the Ghost Zone probably." Danny skillfully acted clueless. He had a lot of practice.

"So, we have to wait then…Okay, thank you Danny." Captain Atom rubbed the back of his neck. Danny heard him mumble, "Batman won't be happy that we didn't find him."

"Thank you so much, Danny. I hope your recovery from this tragedy is quick," Black Canary smiled supportively at him and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Danny shouted. They both turned in alarm.

"Could I have your autographs?" Danny asked completely unashamed at his bluntness. Tucker would come back just to kill him if he didn't ask at least.

"Of course."

* * *

><p>Before he was released, Danny Fenton had one last visitor. This visitor was the only one Danny had been truly waiting for.<p>

When his guest entered the room, he did not sit down. He did not move towards Danny. He didn't even say anything.

Danny was silent too. Nothing needed to be said between the two.

The two of them understood each other's feelings. Two beings of incredible power knew what the other was thinking. The emotions each person felt rolled off them in waves.

Unlike with his other visitors, Danny did nothing to hide his internal suffering. His eyes remained cold in despair. The pained look on his face did not changed.

Neither of them commented on it.

The only sound in the room was the ticking of the clock. Each second seemed to last an hour.

Never before had Danny hated silence this much. His life used to be full of noise. Noise of tools working in the basement. Noise of Jazz lecturing him. Noise of Tucker laughing at a stupid joke. Noise of Sam as she voiced her opinions.

Two weeks ago, he would have given almost anything to have five minutes of silence. Now, he felt the opposite.

So, he decided to break the silence. He practiced what he would say to this person twenty times. But he couldn't bring himself to say his rehearsed words. They were fake. This was real.

"…I never knew that this kind of pain was real…Every second I wish that this was a nightmare, but I know that it's not… This is reality." Danny's voice was close to a whisper, but his visitor heard him loud and clear.

"All of them are dead. And I could do nothing to stop it…Before I got my powers, I knew I was weak, but now I feel powerless. Even with all my strength as a half-ghost, I am weak." Danny's face was in his hands. There were no tears, only shame.

"The only thing I want now is for the pain to go away… Every second is even more terrible than the last… I want to just give up right now… I want this painful human heart to die…Dear God, I hate myself right now." Danny turned to his guest. He probably looked pathetic.

"Not only myself, I hate everything…I feel that everyone else should feel my pain… I feel they should suffer…But I can't do that… I can't give up, forsake my humanity, and let my anger and despair out." Danny was now getting out of his bed.

"They would want me to be strong. They would want me to keep going. They would want me to continue to be a hero. And that is the only thing that matters anymore." Danny stood five feet away from his guest.

"You once offered to take me under your wing, but I could not do it because you asked me to forsake my father. That is something I will never do. Jack Fenton was my father and I will shout it from the roof tops." Danny briefly gained a look of conviction, but it soon fell.

"I know that you don't approve of how I use my powers. You sneer at the fact that I use my powers for good. Your opinions on that might not change, but I will not allow myself to use it for anything else. I now know that all them was proud of what I did. They would want me to fight for justice." Danny looked his visitor in the eyes for a minute. He then dropped to his hands an knees and looked at the ground.

"Please! Even if you think I'm a fool for asking, I need to ask anyway. Will you train me? Will you teach me, the son of Jack Fenton? Will you instruct a naïve do-gooder? Vlad, will you help me become strong so that I will not fail like this again?" Danny pleaded.

"…Yes…"

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you for reading and remember to...<strong>

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	3. Frigid Rage

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"I think of a hero as someonewho understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom." Bob Dylan

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><p>Chapter 3: "Frigid Rage"<p>

(Saturday-November 14, 2009)

Sometimes it's amazing how the weather works. There are days were nature itself reflects the mood of the people in it.

When there is a wedding, people would prefer to have a bright, sunny day to celebrate the union of two lovers. During Christmas, people would rejoice if snow fell from the heavens. And sometimes, during a sad occasion like a funeral, the sky itself will cry.

Today, that was not the case.

Despite the grief in the air and the somber mood everyone had, the sky remained sunny. In fact, there was no cloud in the sky.

Today was the funeral of Sam Manson. It was a small funeral. Only the closest of her family members came.

There was no casket to bury or body to cremate, so the only thing her family could do was engrave her tombstone.

Everyone at the funeral was crying. They were mourning the girl who never had the chance to live her life.

Sam's parents who usually wore clothing that used to make Sam gag were wearing pure black. Pamela was sobbing into her hands as her husband Jeremy who failed to hide his own tears tried to comfort her. Sam's grandmother could barely force herself to look at the grave. Other more distant relatives were there, but Danny could not recognize any of them from his spot on the hill behind the funeral.

He felt that he had no right to be amongst Sam's family. He was the reason she was gone, and they knew it. They would just yell at him to go away. But he had to be here. **He had to**.

Danny was released from the hospital into Vlad's custody a few days ago. His new guardian bought a new mansion in Amity Park. He knew that Danny could never leave this city to be overrun with ghosts, even if said city only brought pain to the young halfa.

Danny was grateful to Vlad for all he did for him. The older half ghost even paid for his family's graves.

There was no funeral. Danny did not want anyone to disgrace their memory by faking grief. That did not stop Danny from standing in front of their graves from dawn until dusk two days ago.

Tucker's funeral was yesterday. Danny did attend it. Tucker's parents, Angela and Maurice, did not take their son's death well, but they did not blame Danny. They knew that Danny could do nothing to help their son.

They even asked for him to speak during the service. He choked out a few words about his best friend before his voice stopped working. The pain in his soul was unbearable when Maurice gave him one of Tucker's PDA's after the funeral.

"You were Tucker's best friend. He would have wanted you to have at least one of his 'babies'." Maurice had said to him with a weak smile.

Mr. Lancer had no family to pay their respects. Not even that sister he told Danny about. (Realizing that the picture was Mr. Lancer in a dress was horrifying.) Danny still stayed at his grave a good hour and showed his respects to the one teacher that never gave up on him.

The past two days were hard on Danny, but this was by far the worst.

His relationships with his family and Tucker were set. Their status could never had evolved. His parents would always have been his parents. Jazz would always have been his sister. Tucker would always have been his best friend. Sam, however, could have been something different than his female best friend.

Their relationship could have been more. Danny saw this now. Even though they were fourteen, they had a connection that people rarely achieved.

She was the reason he had ghost powers. She was the reason he became a hero. She was his sense of reason itself.

Danny would admit that he lacked common sense, but hey he was fourteen. Sam had always been more mature and more intelligent than him. She usually knew what Danny needed to hear and do.

Now, all that was gone.

Sam was gone. She could no longer advise him or help. All that was in the past. And any future they might have had was destroyed.

Danny waited until everyone left, then he walked down the grave.

The tombstone was big and extravagant. Sam would have hated it.

_Samantha Manson _

_September 16th 1994- November 4th 2009 _

"_Beloved Daughter and Friend"_

Anguish surged through him. Like every day since the incident, Danny felt the agony of his grief tear away at his soul, yet he could not bring himself to cry.

It had nothing to do with pride. Danny could not physically show his grief in the form of tears.

Crying would show that he was in the process of accepting their death and moving on. That was not something a ghost could just do. Ghosts don't accept death and move on. They wouldn't be ghosts if they did.

Danny was a half ghost, though. He could find his closure, but it would be a long and difficult process. That was if he ever did.

As he stood there, Danny did not noticed how they ground below him began to freeze and a layer of frost began to cover his body. He felt a coldness that would be unbearable to any normal man, but he actually enjoyed it. The cold numbed the pain.

"Be careful Daniel, letting a power run free like that will be your end if you let it." Vlad's voice sounded behind him.

Danny slipped a little when he turned around. The ice surprised him. "What is this…"

"It seems that your recent outburst of emotions has unlocked a new ability form your ghost half." Vlad was staring at the ice covered ground intensely.

"…So I can freeze stuff now?" Danny asked.

"In simple terms, yes. You seem to have developed Cryokinesis, the ability to use ice as a weapon. Elemental powers like that are rare and hard to control… This will not be something that I can train you in, because unlike you, I don't have any elemental powers…But there are ghosts who can." Vlad smirked.

"Please, for the love of God, tell me that your not talking about Klemper." Danny groaned.

"No, I have someone else in mind…" Vlad trailed off.

* * *

><p>"Welcome, O Great One, I am honored with the opportunity to not only meet, but also to train the warrior who beat the Ghost King!" A large white yeti creature greeted the young halfa. The ghost was very intimidating in appearance with his large size, sharp teeth and claws, and frozen arm with bones visible in said arm. But, his eyes showed kindness and generosity.<p>

Danny was sure he would never hurt anyone who did not deserve it.

"Daniel, this is Frostbite. He is the leader of the Realm of the Far Frozen. He has graciously agreed to train you." Vlad in ghost form spoke to his young charge.

"Yes, despite Plasmius'… infamy in the Ghost Zone, I heard him out and am glad I did. The opportunity to train the Savior of the Ghost Zone is not something that comes often. This is a day of celebration!" The large yeti ghost proclaimed. He seemed very happy.

"O…Okay…" Danny was a little amazed at this situation. The only ghost who was friendly with him was Wulf, and even that was shaky at first.

This ghost was praising him constantly, too. No one had ever complimented so much in two minutes without a sneer or sarcastic remark behind it. Danny did not know how to react.

"This will be about the basics only, O Great One. I will show you how to stop the cold from controlling you and some basic attacks. If you require more, though, I along with my kingdom will be honored to help." Frostbite smiled at him.

"Thanks but …Are elemental powers as hard to control as everyone keeps saying?" Danny asked. First Vlad and now Frostbite, Danny was now concerned.

"Yes, they are incredibly powerful and are linked to your emotions. An example would be a fire user being very passionate and quick to anger. Earth users are very down to earth (Danny could appreciate bad puns) and stubborn. And we ice users are usually laid back." Frostbite was very serious as he explained this.

"…So if our emotions control the element, then can we use the element to control our emotions?" Danny remembered how the cold stopped him from feeling sorrow. This could help with his personal troubles and his hero troubles.

Vlad gave Danny a side glance. He knew what Danny wanted to do. He would not stop the younger halfa, though.

"Indeed! But it is very advanced. You would need a lot of practice." Frostbite once again smiled.

"Then we better get started, right?" Danny gave him a the biggest grin he could muster. It was hard for him to do.

"Right!"

The day had been productive. Danny learned that his ghost core was incredibly cold and his Ghost Sense was a part of his new power.

Frostbite was a good teacher. He was patient and kind. He did not get mad when it took Danny a while to activate his powers at will. But when Danny did free his power, Frostbite was full of praise.

He didn't even yell at Danny when some of his people were injured during his training. Danny wished all of the teaches at Casper High was like Frostbite.

The other yeti like ghosts were also kind, despite using his training as entertainment. They did, however, keep their distance after a few frozen shards sort of stabbed them…

"Now that the cold is unlocked, it will be constantly trying to escape. It is your job is to regulate it. It may be quite a task at times, but your will must overpower your own ability." Frostbite told Danny.

"…Power is a burden…" Danny remembered the words of the Ghost King. He recently realized how true those words are.

"Yes, controlling strength is a task, but it matters not if you can control it, if you use it for the wrong reasons." Frostbite commented.

A vision of a ghost with flaming hair, blue skin, red eyes, and a forked tongue popped into Danny's mind. "Yeah, your right."

* * *

><p>By the end of the day, Frostbite cleared Danny to go. He had enough control to stop himself from freezing to death, at least.<p>

Danny's next goal was freezing over his emotions. That would have to come another day, though. The pain would stay for while…

"Thank you, Frostbite. You were a big help." Danny gave a genuine smile this time. It was the first one he had given since the accident…

"Your welcome, Great One! It was a pleasure to have such a great student! (Danny had never been called that before.) I am incredibly impressed by you. Your talent for combat is quite astounding! Are you sure you can't stay for a while? We could have a feast in your honor!" Frostbite said as he shook Danny's hand.

"Unfortunately, young Daniel and I must be on our way. You know people to see, things to do…" Vlad dismissed Frostbite's invitation. It was easy to see he did not want to stay in this land any longer.

"Thanks, anyway Frostbite. Is it okay if I come to visit, though?" Danny was glad for the distraction. Plus the ghosts of the Far Frozen were incredibly friendly. They were nice to be around.

"Of course come back anytime!" Frostbite said.

The entire village gave them large cheers of farewell, even the ones injured during Danny's training.

As the two half ghosts were flying away, Danny could some what hear. Frostbite yell, "May destiny be kind to you, Great One…"

* * *

><p>When Danny went out for patrol, the sun had already set. The November air would be cold to the average person, but to Danny it was nothing.<p>

This was the first time since the incident that Phantom had made an appearance. It would probably be all over the news tomorrow. The press was going to eat him alive, if the past broadcasts were any indication.

As Danny flew over the town, he felt the rush of flying overcome him. Even after so many month, Danny never got sick of flying. It was a freedom no normal man had ever experienced. To fly without the use of a machine. It was intoxicating.

There were a few ghosts causing a little trouble, but they were minor ghosts. They usually never caused much of a problem. Danny barely didn't even bother to catch them. They ran back to the Ghost Zone the minute he showed up.

Danny took a moment to rest. The moon was full tonight. It was quite beautiful. Sam would…

The wave of grief hit him again.

'Damn, I need to keep myself distracted…' Danny thought. It happened every time Danny let his mind wander. His train of thought would always go back to them.

As he sat on the edge of the roof, Danny looked over his city. It was beautiful at this time of night. So peaceful. Almost as if there was no threat of ghost attacks.

He tried not to think about his growing problems. The Guys in White were going to be hunting him again. More ghosts were going to come challenge him. The Justice League was now trying to find him…

Danny closed his eyes and listened to sounds of his city. The birds and crickets as they sang. The cars as they moved on the street below. The sound of an ecto-gun being shot…

Phantom threw himself to the right. He barely dodged the blast of ectoplasm as it blew a hole on the roof.

After he landed in a crouch, Phantom looked at his attacker.

'Of course, she had to come and make my day even worse,' Phantom thought.

"What do you want, Valerie? Are you here to try and destroy me again?" Phantom asked the Red Huntress.

"For once, ghost, no. I'm hear to find out everything you know about the Nasty Burger ghost!" Valerie yelled as she pointed her wrist gun at him.

Danny would be the first to admit that Valerie's new suit looked awesome. It was black and red like the old one, but this one was far more intimidating, powerful, and advanced. It fit her well, too.

The half ghost knew how attractive his ex-girlfriend was. Her looks and money were part of the reason why she used to be part of the A-list. With the money gone, she only had her looks.

That's what Danny thought at least. Until he got to know her that is. He learned that she was smart, funny, stubborn, and caring to those close to her. Even though their romance was forged by Technus' plot, Danny grew to care for her.

When she wasn't shooting at him, at least.

"…You want to know about **him**… Why?" Phantom questioned. He had an idea, though.

"Because of him, the Fenton's, Tucker, Sam, and Mr. Lancer are all died! He needs to pay for the pain he caused Dann… everyone." Valerie covered her slip up well, but Danny caught it.

"The Fenton kid, huh? I'm surprised. Never thought that you would fight for someone's revenge." Phantom lowered his guard. Now, was not the time to fight.

Danny could see Valerie's eyes flash behind her face shield. "Just tell me about the Nasty Burger ghost!" The Red Huntress now had multiple guns pointed at him.

"…**He** is a ghost of pure evil. **He** exists only to destroy and ruin lives. No other ghost can cause pain like **him**. That's why, for the rest of eternity, **he** will be locked up in the ghost zone. There is not a ghost in existence that can escape Clockwork, so don't worry about **him**. **He** will never cause trouble again." Phantom solemnly promised.

"Take me to him!" Red Huntress yelled.

"He he, I can't do that," Phantom said.

"Why's that?!" Red Huntress' eyes narrowed.

"One, if I do that we will both be killed. Two, even we weren't killed, you would just free **him**. And Three, there is no possible way for you to kill **him**." Phantom remembered the future Valerie. She was stronger, faster, and more experienced than this Valerie, and she was no match for Dark Dan.

"Shut up! I'm sick of your arrogance. You think that you can beat him, and I can't?! Think again!" Valerie then began to shoot at Phantom.

Phantom dodged the blasts by flying around the roof. Each blast came dangerously close to the half ghost, but Danny had this under control. He fired his Ghost Ray a few times at Valerie, but her shield blocked it.

"I only won because **he **was only playing with me and I was lucky. If we fought again, **he **would kill me in an instant." Danny shouted as he blocked some of the blasts with a Ghost Shield.

"That's because you're weak!" A long mechanical claw grabbed Phantom by the front of his suit. "You were too weak do anything!" Danny cried out as electricity surged through him. "You were there and should have saved them!" The claw then threw Phantom to the roof and he crashed down hard. "All this time, you play the hero and the one time you're actually needed you fail." For extra measure, Valerie shocked Danny again as she stood over him.

"You're right, I failed. I could not save them and stop **him **at the same time. I was weak and I'm sorry." Phantom showed the regret he felt on his face, but that did nothing to stop the ghost hunter fighting him.

"Yes, you are! I bet you're happy about all this too. The Fenton's hunted you more than even I did! With them gone, you think that you can do whatever you want now, right? Well think again!" Valerie screamed at him.

"…What?…" Phantom barely whispered, but the Red Huntress heard it.

"You heard me! You let the Fenton's die because-" She was cut off.

Phantom fazed through the ceiling and came up right behind her. Before she could shoot at him, he was already up close and personal.

The Red Huntress was then hit with blasts and fists of freezing ectoplasm. Her suit usually controlled her body heat, but that did not work right now. All of her weapons were quickly frozen over and destroyed. Her suit began to malfunction because of the freezing temperature of the ice-plasm.

None of the hits actually hurt her body, but her suit was now shut down. It would take minutes for it to reboot. That was time she did not have.

Phantom's now blue eyes stared angrily into hers as he held her in the air by her throat. His face was one of complete fury. The ghost's body was trembling, and the Red Huntress was sure it was not because of the ice.

"How Dare You!" Valerie flinched at his voice. This was not the same Danny Phantom that she fought many times before.

"You accuse me of letting the Fenton's die?! Who do you think you are?!" Phantom's eyes seemed to bore into her soul.

"All this time, I put up with your accusations! You called me a thief, loser, destroyer, and menace! But now you have gone too far!" Phantoms hands began to glow green.

"You blame me for all your problems! Get over yourself! I did not ruin your life! I did not steal anything! I did nothing but try to reason with you! But that time is now over!" Danny cocked back his fist and was ready to deliver a punch that could kill a grown man.

"You want a monster, I'll give you a monster!" Danny threw the punch.

Time froze. Valerie saw her life flash before her eyes. Danny saw Dark Dan flash before his eyes.

He dropped the girl and fell too his hands and knees.

Valerie scrambled away from the ghost. Tears ran down her face. She had never been so afraid before.

Phantom, however, stayed where he was. He forced the coldness to cover him. The coldness hit him in giant wave.

Ice covered his body. The ground began to freeze. The burning rage and hatred slowly died. As he gasped for air, Danny's breath came out as blue mist..

Phantom came dangerously close to permanently freezing himself. The coldness in his core would have consumed him and he would have been lost. He stopped it in time, though.

By the time Danny came back to his senses, he was nearly completely frozen. Ice shattered as he forced himself up.

'Frostbite was not joking. I almost killed myself doing that…' Phantom thought as he willed the ice on him to melt.

To him, passing on would be better than what he was about to do. If he had hit Valerie…VALERIE!

Danny turned around at break neck speed.

There she was. She was crouched on the ground. Her body was trembling in fear. Her face was twisted. Her eyes were like a frightened deer's.

Danny had never seen the confident Valerie look so terrified before. Shame filled the young halfa's heart.

He had almost crossed a line. One second later, and he would have killed her. That was not something he could not allow.

As he stared at the frightened girl, Danny clenched his fists. Never again. He would never come that close to killing again.

"…I'm not a monster…" Danny didn't know if he was saying this to himself or her. "I'm not.."

One thing passed through Danny's mind as he flew away. 'Never again.'

* * *

><p>When he was released from the hospital, Danny immediately moved into Vlad's new mansion. He could not stand staying in his old home. It was haunted in more ways than one now…<p>

Thus after he left Valerie, he immediately headed for the richest part in the city. The only place Vlad's ego would let him stay in.

As he fazed through the ceiling into the large entrance hall, Danny took in all the Packer's equipment and mementos. It would take a while for him to get used to the cheese-head's decorations.

Danny had yet to start his training with Vlad. The funerals filled his time the last couple of days. Plus the who ice power thing put a damper on any plans for today. Not that he had any.

Sighing, Danny decided that now would be a good time to shower and go to sleep.

Before he could change back into a human, Danny's ghost sense went off.

He immediately went on guard and wondered which ghost wanted their ass handed to them.

"Relax, Daniel. It's only me." Vlad's voice sounded behind him.

"Do you have to sneak up behind me?" Danny questioned as he turned around.

"Yes, it is very entertaining," Vlad smirked.

"Yeah, I bet it's hilarious to see me go into fight mode for no good reason." Danny turned back into his human form and Vlad did the same.

"Hmm, indeed," Vlad seemed like he wanted to say something. Danny was concerned by this. Vlad always knew what to say. His talent with speaking was at the top. If he was having a hard time saying something, it must me important.

"Vlad, is everything okay?" Danny asked his new mentor.

"Yes, Daniel. I just need to speak with you a bit. Will you accompany down to my laboratory, there is something you need to see…" Vlad looked nervous.

"…Fine, but can we make it quick, I'm really tired right now…" Danny reluctantly agreed.

As they walked to the secret entrance, Danny spoke to the older half ghost.

"I never thanked you for all you did. The hospital bill…the graves…the agreeing to train me…" Danny felt awkward thanking his old enemy.

"Don't mention it, Daniel. I was glad to help. It was the least I could do considering…" Vlad trailed off as they entered the elevator leading to Vlad's lab.

It was amazing how quickly Vlad moved everything. Even all his equipment and ghost tools arrived in record time. Danny realized how true the term 'money talks' was.

"…I am sorry for what happened. I can't imagine how painful this must be for you. It must be hard for you right now and I know that I have no right saying this because of how I treated your father, but-" Danny cut him off.

"You don't have to say anything, Vlad. I know how everything becomes clear in hindsight. With Mom and Dad gone, you feel guilty about how you acted. That's exactly how I feel. I do know one thing, though. Sometimes, all you need is a second chance." Danny barely kept his voice steady. He remembered the older version of Vlad from the future. The broken man who just wanted to change things.

This was Vlad's second chance. Danny just hopped he didn't waste it.

"…Yes…" Vlad seemed uplifted.

Danny did know how Vlad felt about the regret, but Vlad did not feel the pain Danny had. Vlad had other things driving him than Danny's mom. He may have lost his love for a woman (ewwwe, Danny thought), but his obsession was not completely focused on Danny's mom. Vlad had other things to keep him going.

Danny, on the other hand, had nothing but a memory. His obsession was not being a hero, fighting bad guys, or even being rich and popular.

During the accident, Danny only thought about one thing. Family.

While (half-way) dying, Danny thought about his family. He thought, 'I will never see Mom, Dad, Jazz, Tucker, and Sam again…'

He felt cheated. He would never get to hear his parent's pride in him when he graduated. He would never get Jazz to look at him like he was her equal. He would never get to be roommates with Tucker during college. He would never get to tell Sa… He would never have a family of his own.

It didn't seem fair to Danny. Why did he have to die? Why couldn't he stay with his family? Why was his life over?

'SCREW THAT!' Danny's will fought tooth and nail to survive. Danny (half-way) lived because his will was strong enough to actually fight death and win. That was something he did for his past, present, and possibly future family. And now they were gone. His unfinished business was gone…

Danny was pulled from his thoughts when the duo reached the secret laboratory.

It reminded him of his parent's lab, only newer and more organized.

Weapons were scattered everywhere. Computers lined the walls. An area was reserved for what looked like a ghost portal.

The weirdest thing, however, was the pair of pods at the end of the room. It looked like each pod was big enough to fit a person. And someone was in the pod on the left.

It appeared to be a ten year old girl. She had a red hat on and her hair was pulled into a pony tail. She was wearing a blue hoody and red shorts.

"Vlad! What the hell is this!" Danny was both creped out and angry. Did Vlad kidnap this young girl?

"This, young Daniel, is Danielle Masters. She is your clone." Vlad's face was completely neutral as he spoke to Danny.

"My clone! Why did you make a clone of me?!" Danny was now pissed.

"…I was realized that you would never be my protégé in evil, so I decided to make a new you. One that will be my child and I could care for. I tried several times before Danielle, but they all dissolved. Keeping a half-ghost clone stable with a little DNA is impossible." Vlad walked over to the pod and looked at the girl.

"How dare you!? Trying to clone me is by far the most disgusting thing you have ever done!" Danny transformed into a ghost in anger.

"I'm sorry Daniel. This was all before the…accident. I just wanted to have a child of my own, but…" Vlad trailed off.

"This was not the way to do it, Vlad! Why did you not just adopt some kid or start a family or something?" Danny was still mad, but he toned it down.

"You and Maddie were part of my obsession as a ghost. I couldn't let it go. You know how hard it is to fight the compulsion." Vlad answered.

Danny could not deny that. Many of his stupid stunts over the past months was because of the compulsive side of his ghost half. It was hard to fight.

"…If they all dissolved, why is she still here?" Danny looked at his younger, female clone. It was weird.

"She was only slightly more stable than the others, but for some reason she continued to live on by shear force of will." Vlad walked over to his computer and began to look at Danielle's status. "I put her in there, so she would not have to fight to survive."

"…Why did you make her a girl? It's kind of weird." Danny gave Vlad a side glance.

"I don't really know how that happened. It might have been a fluke, but when I received the latest sample of your hair…" Danny ignored the rest. He was too busy looking at his clone.

She did look like him, but she seemed a little different. There were subtle differences. Her face seemed familiar to Danny. Some of the features on her face looked almost like….

"Vlad!" Danny shouted to his guardian.

"What!?" Vlad was a bit put off by his outburst.

"The hair you got was it white or black?" Danny's eyes stared at Vlad.

"Both actually. The hair came off that outfit of yours. I assumed that your human hair was trapped on it after your transformation-" Vlad was cut off.

"Did you do a DNA test on the hairs?" Danny questioned.

"It came off of you. Why would I test it?" Vlad was confused.

"What if the black hair wasn't mine?" Danny asked.

"Not yours… whose was it then?" Vlad looked at Danielle.

"Sam" Danny looked at the girl intensely.

Vlad's eyes widened. "Then that means…"

"She's not just my clone…" This girl had part of Sam in her. She was made of the combined DNA of him and Sam. Just like if…

"Can you make her more stable?" Danny asked.

"Yes, by using the other pod, I could use you as a conductor to stabilize her DNA." Vlad explained.

Danny looked at Danielle. She was a clone of him and Sam. He should be creped out, but he isn't.

This girl could not replace Sam. Danny knew that.

Danielle would be her own person. She would be Daniele Masters. But maybe…

She could become like a sister to him. She could be the younger sibling he never had.

She could be his family.

"Do it."

* * *

><p><strong>Before anyone mentions it, I know that Danielle is technically twelve in the D.P. series, but in my story, she will be ten at the start. Also, unlike Superboy, she will age. This is because Danny directly helps her stability.<strong>

**Thank you for reading and please...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**


	4. Friendship

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend."

Albert Camus

* * *

><p>Chapter 4: "Friendship"<p>

(Saturday-December 19, 2009)

It took nearly a month for the insanity to finally calm down. There was a fallout from Phantom's first appearance after the Nasty Burger incident, but it was not nearly as bad as Danny thought it would be. Some were blaming Danny for failing, but a lot more was in his corner.

They all saw the video of his fight with Dark Dan. Most people realized just how badly Danny had been outmatched during the fight. But while they were surprisingly forgiving of Danny for failing to save the victims, they were now incredibly afraid.

Danny Phantom had always stopped the ghosts before. There were close calls, but in the end, good won and evil lost. The same could not be said about this incident. People saw that Phantom was not invincible. Then, they began to wonder what would have happened if Danny was never there. Would more people have died? Would anyone stop the ghost? And most importantly, could what happen to the Fentons happen to them?

The people finally began to realize their own weaknesses. They could do nothing to stop the ghosts. Police officers could not hurt the ghosts. Only the vigilantes of the town could do anything to stop the ghosts. So, when they realized how much they need vigilantes like Phantom or the Red Huntress, most people quickly came to support them.

Too bad the Red Huntress was no where in sight. After her last fight with Danny, Valerie had not arrived to any ghost sightings. Danny was worried about this. Valerie was a strong person, but that look she had after the fight… it was not in Valerie's character. He knew he needed to talk to her. So, he decided to call Valerie and ask to meet with her.

The small café Danny walked into was almost empty. The few customers in the café were too focused on their phones or the television to give the hooded teenager a second look. Even the waitress was so tired from her work shift that she didn't give him a good once over.

Danny was glad they didn't, too. He didn't want them gapping at the new rich boy of Amity Park. After he went into Vlad's custody, people began to treat Danny differently. He was now a somebody with money. The people who used to mock him were now licking the bottom of his shoes. Before, Danny would have relished in this attention, but now it just annoyed him.

To avoid any annoying instances, Danny wore a zip up black hoody with the hood up. To most people Danny just looked like a regular brooding teenager. This was fine with Danny. It stopped the need for him to put on a mask of fake emotion.

"…Ghost activity had been down this week." The noise of the television flooded into Danny's ear as he walked to the booth Valerie was sitting in. She was intently watching the television while drinking a cup of coffee. "The cause can only be speculated, but many claim that Danny Phantom's slightly more aggressive fighting style is the reason for the low activity." Danny saw Valerie's hands clench around her coffee mug. "Is Phantom's new attitude a direct result of the Nasty Burger incident or does it have anything with the sudden disappearance of the Red Huntress?" Valerie's knuckles were now turning white. Danny decided to stop her before she broke the mug.

"What's your issue with coffee? Do you always have accidents around it or is that just when I'm around?" Danny asked as he slid into the booth.

"Danny?" Her grip relaxed around the mug. "What's with the new look?…" She looked like she was about to add something to the end of her question, but she quickly shut her mouth before the words came out. Danny knew it was probably about the black hoody being more Sam's style…

And his torture continued as another wave of despair hit him. He had practiced for moments like this. The negative emotions that terrorized him were quickly frozen over.

'It's no where perfect though, the temperature in this room was dropped by ten degree's at least. I need more practice.' Danny mentally grimaced as he remembered his own personal "training." It involved him intentionally allowing the negative emotions to attack him in order form him to practice icing over his pain. The process was both agonizing and tiring. All of this was done in secret of course. Vlad wouldn't say anything, but Dani would have a cow.

"I just don't want to make any kind of scene. A hooded teenager with an attitude problem will cause less of a stir than the new rich Danny Fenton who survived a tragic accident." Danny remarked mildly.

"You have a point there." Valerie conceded to Danny's argument. She had noticed how cold it was in the café they were in and put on the jacket that was sitting beside her.

Then there was an awkward pause. Both of the teenagers had something they needed to say to the other, but neither could find the words. Ultimately, it was Valerie who found her voice first.

"I'm a little surprised you asked to meat with me. Don't get me wrong, my offer to always be there to talk to was sincere, but you have never been one to express deep emotions…" Valerie gave Danny a questioning look.

"Yeah, that's the thing, I didn't actually come here to talk about that…" Danny looked sheepish.

"Huh? Then what do you want to talk about?" Valerie gained a confused look.

"…Well that will be hard to explain…you see…I noticed…lately you, I mean the… this will not come out right." Danny instantly raised his hand to ruffle his hair out of frustration, but stopped because of the hoody.

"How about this? It's obvious that we both have topics we want to discuss. So, why don't we take turns asking questions. One question per turn then the other person goes." Valerie smiled.

"Sounds like a plan. You can go first." Danny gave a small grin back. They used to play games like this when they were dating, only the games were a little less serious…

"Okay, I start out with something simple. How have you been copping with all…all of the changes that have happened lately?" Valerie sent him a look of concern. Danny was glad it was not a look of pity.

"As good as I can cope, really. I've been do anything I can to distract myself. Vlad's been teaching me how to play chess (apparently he needed to learn strategy). Some physical training (he remembered his mental note to start weight lifting). And I've actually been tinkering with some of my parents old projects (he couldn't just leave them unfinished, _he couldn't_)." He left out his ghost training and vigilante life, of course.

"Wow, that's unlike you…well, whatever helps." She smiled encouragingly.

"Yeah, okay my question. Umm…how should I word this…how is your second job going?" Danny did not know how well this was going to go over, but he had to try.

"Oh…well actually my Dad has been doing really well at work lately. He's getting paid more than ever now that Mr. Masters took over Axion Labs. So, he told me to quit my jobs to focus on my studies, plus I've been training more lately with my martial arts, so…both of my jobs are done." She looked uncomfortable with answering this question.

"…I see…" She was using an excuse to lie about her vigilante career.

Danny knew about Valerie's first job, though. He had personally asked Vlad to buy out Axion Labs to help out Val's dad. Danny actually made a huge presentation about how it would profit Vlad. It took a lot of time and effort on Danny's part, but everyone won. Vlad made a profit. Val and her father were more financially sound. And Danny learned that he was actually good with business crap.

Maybe he should study business or something. It might pay off in the future.

"My question. You pulled out off Casper High to be home schooled. Why?" Valerie probably knew, but need confirmation.

"Oh come on, Val. Tuck and Sam (the temperature dropped again) were the only things that made school bearable. It would be stupid to stay in a school where I'm bullied constantly, ignored by teachers, and treated like dirt by everyone when I no longer have the two friends that always accepted me for who I am." Danny saw regret flash through Valerie's eyes. She hated how she used to act before she became the Red Huntress.

"You would be part of the A-list if you went back. You probably have more money than everyone in that school combined." She gave a judging look. Danny knew what she was judging.

"I would be part of the A-list, but what good would it do? Every one would treat me well because of the money. I don't have the time or patience for hypocrites right now." Danny said viciously. "Besides, with the online classes and special tutors Vlad hired, I'll get a better education at Vlad's than I ever would at Casper."

"…Yeah…"Danny had passed her judgment test. Valerie now had a look of approval. "Your turn."

"Why do you hate Danny Phantom?" He might have said this a little to bluntly.

"Wha? Why would you ask that? He ruined my life!" Anger flashed through her face. But Danny saw through this.

"Did he? Did he really ruin your life? Without him you would still be the snobby, spoiled princes who had everything handed to her on a silver platter." Danny gave her a knowing look.

"…Okay, I don't actually hate him. He did open my eyes to the harshness of reality, but I cannot approve of him going around and doing what he wants."

"He's doing the same thing as the Red Huntress. Catching ghosts. And I never heard you rant about her before."

"No-It's not-You don't understand."

"Don't I?"

"No you don't."

"…your question, Val."

"Fine. There are rumors about you talking with members of the Justice League again. Are these rumors true?" She seemed a lot more irritated than before. Danny had struck a nerve and she was now trying to throw him off.

"Yes."

"Really? Who? Why?"

"One question per turn, please."

"…What's your question, then?"

"Why did you dump me again?"

"What?"

"You heard me. Why. Did. You. Dump. Me."

"Are you… Do you want to-"

"No, my life is to complicated right now for that." Wow, even Danny was surprised by that hurtful comment and it came out of his mouth.

"If you know my reason. Then you shouldn't ask."

"You're right. I shouldn't ask, but you shouldn't forget it in the first place."

"…What's with the Justice League thing?"

Now that was an interesting story. Danny remembers it as one of the most amazing and terrifying moments of his young life. It was the first time he ever met the Batman.

* * *

><p><em>Memory sequence begin<em>

"_Daniel," Vlad's voice sounded through the intercom. Currently, Danny was lifting weights in the training room. He was in human form so his superhuman strength would not help. To stay safe, he was having Dani ,in ghost form, spot him. And, of course, Danny was occupied at the moment, so his female clone was the one to answer._

"_Hey, Dad. Danny's a little busy at the moment. What do you need?" Dani asked._

"_Please, tell Daniel that he has a… guest here to see him." Vlad's voice sounded a little uneasy. Which was weird._

"_Okay, Dad!" She turned to her older brother, "I'm guessing you heard that, right?"_

"_No Dani, I suddenly became deaf for ten seconds."_

"_Hey! Sarcasm is my thing!" _

"_It was my thing first kid."_

"_Don't call me kid!" She yelled at him as he walked out the door._

"_Okay squirt!" Danny yelled back. He greatly enjoyed teasing her. Very few things brought an actual smile to his face. And that was one of them. He finally understood why Jazz…_

_Bad thoughts. Bad thoughts. Cold. Cold. Better._

_Usually, Danny would use his powers to travel through the mansion easier. He had only lived there for a few weeks and could not remember how to get to most places. Unfortunately, there was someone here, so that was a no go. Luckily, Danny did know how to get to the front entrance. Just barely, mind you, but he did know._

_As Danny walked down the main stairs, he called out to his mentor and guardian. "Hey Vlad, you said I had a vis…a…tor…" Words were at a loss for the young halfa. Meeting Captain Atom and Black Canary was awesome. (He made sure to frame their autographs.) But that meeting was nothing in comparison to this meeting._

_The person standing next to Vlad was one that was known around the world. He was a person that stroke fear into the hearts of criminals everywhere. This person was the leader of the Justice League and one of, if not the, most intimidating individuals Danny had ever met. _

_The Batman._

_And all at once Danny felt several different feelings. Awe. Fear. Unbelief. And the incredible feeling of a geek out. It took all of Danny's will not to run down the stairs to meet one the greatest heroes on the planet._

"_Wow, when you said that a guest was here, I was expecting someone…who was not Batman." Danny commented as he approached the two men._

"_I could have warned you, but then I would have not seen the look on your face" Vlad grinned at his young charge._

"_I see…" Danny looked at the Dark Knight. He looked exactly as he did on the television. He was dressed in dark spandex. His utility belt was around his waist. The bat symbol stood proudly on his chest. His bat like cowl connected to the black cape on his back._

_In all, he looked like a total badass._

"_Daniel Fenton, I would like to have a few words with you." The Batman's deep voice gave away no emotion, but it still caused Danny's heart to fall into his stomach._

"_Uhnnn…Okay…." What was he supposed to say? No was obviously not an option._

"_Good." He turned and began to walk into the pallor. Danny inferred that he was supposed to follow._

"_Take a seat." Danny instantly obeyed. It never occurred to him that this was his home and the Batman had no authority to tell him where to sit_

"_Really, how rude. You come into my house and order around my charge. If this continues I might have to ask you to leave, Mr. Batman." Obviously, that thought did occur to Vlad, though._

"_I apologize." He did not sound apologetic. "But the sooner this is finished, the sooner I can leave." _

"_Hmmm… fine then," Vlad took a seat where he had a view of both Batman and Danny._

"_What is this about anyway? Does it have to do with the accident? Or the information on ghosts and ghost weaponry?" Danny asked._

"_All that and more, Mr. Fenton," Batman did not sit down. He staid standing and stared down at the young man. "But, I am also here to talk about your relation to Danny Phantom."_

_Silence._

_Both Vlad and Danny were completely silent. The former narrowed his eyes at the Caped Crusader. The latter just paled. They both, however, prepared them themselves for what was to come. In fact, Vlad was about the stand up and approach the Batman, when Danny stopped him._

"_Vlad, I think this is a conversation that Batman and I need to have alone, could you, __please__ leave us alone?" Danny had recovered quickly from his shock. He was now sitting straight up, crossed his arms, was now starring intently at Batman._

_Vlad looked like he wanted to say something, but closed his mouth when he saw Danny's look. So, he just stood up and walked out of the room._

"_What about my relation with Danny Phantom? Do you mean that my parents used to hunt him? (No time for grief! No time for grief!)" Danny did not know what Batman knew about this situation already. So, he made sure not give any unnecessary information away._

"_Do you want me to spell it out?… Fine. A few months ago, my attention was brought to this town from supposed ghosts attacks and a vigilante called "Inviso-Bill" (Damn the media! He never approved that name!) The League as a whole thought little about the threat of ghosts, but I knew better. I realized how dangerous this situation could get._

"_So, I did some research and what I found was unusual. Sprectrology is a field that is considered a joke to almost every scientific mind on the planet. Yet, there is a whole secret government program set up for the study and destruction of ghosts. Not only that, the program "Guys in White" has some of the highest funds and most advanced technology on the planet. This shows how much of a threat the government considers ghosts._

"_Then I found information on the world's leading experts on ghosts. Jack and Madie Fenton were considered jokes in the scientific community. (Ignore the pain Fenton! Ignore it!) Barely anyone believed that ghosts were real. But many saw the potential in ectoplasm weapons. The weapons your parents made were decades ahead of almost every other form of weaponry from the planet earth. So, despite the controversy, private individual and the government contracted your parents to make weaponry for them. In fact they were the only suppliers of ecto-weaponry in the world." Batman stated._

"_Wait! My parents were the only suppliers? Plenty of people who used ecto-weaponry openly mocked them!" Danny's anger flared._

"…_Many people have tried to imitate their weapons, but it usually ends in an explosive manner. So yes, they were the only suppliers." Batman said._

"_Those hypocritical bastards! They mock my parents and still use their weaponry! How dare they!" Danny was shuddering in anger._

"_Calm down." Batman looked down at Danny. His look was not one of irritation. The look was almost seemed…sympathetic and understanding. Danny didn't know how he knew that. His cowl hid most of his features, but somehow Danny could tell._

_Danny could not use his ice powers in front of Batman, so he used the old fashioned method and took a couple of deep breaths to calm down._

"_Yes, they made the weapons for every other ghost hunter on the planet. And from the information I found, they were not allowed to reveal to anyone about the contracts." That explains why the Fenton symbol was not on any of the other weapons. They didn't want anyone to know they bought weapons from the nut jobs._

_Bastards._

"_You parents wrote several books on ghosts. How they were formed. What they wanted. How their bodies are sustained. The books were very informative." Batman's voice was not mocking like most people's. He actually thought the books were informative. Danny could see his dad jumping for joy at being complimented by the Batman…._

_Crap, that hurts. _

"_But if you already knew, why did you have Black Canary and Captain Atom ask me those questions?" Danny was very confused._

"_Two reasons. One: to test your knowledge. You pass by the way. Two: to let you know I would be coming." Batman acted like the answer was obvious. Danny instantly felt stupid._

"_And that leads to the next part of this meeting right, Batman?" Danny looked down to the floor._

"_Yes, it does, Danny Phantom." Batman confirmed Danny's suspicions._

"…_How did you figure it out?" Danny asked._

"_There were many videos of Phantom using Fenton technology, yet the Fentons were openly hostile to him. Most would assume he stole the tech, considering the reports of him stealing jewelry and the time he kidnapped the mayor. _

"_But those instances were flawed from prospective. After the theft attempt, a man called "Freak Show" was arrested with the same stolen gold and jewels. Also, the supposed kidnapping was during a large ghost attack where several individuals, including the mayor, had a large gap of memory loss. All of them were where under ghosts control for a time. Thus a ghost was controlling the mayor to frame Phantom._

"_So, with no other records of Phantom every stealing before, I realized that the weapons had to have been give to Phantom. A Fenton had to be giving Phantom weapons. Your parents obviously weren't doing it and your sister Jasmine had publicly stated and blogged that ghosts did not exist. Thus only one Fenton could be giving Phantom the weapons. You."_

"_But how did you connect that with me being Phantom?" Danny questioned._

"_You both had similar names and appearances, but considering the fact that one of you was dead and the other was alive, that could mean nothing. Also, neither were ever at the same place at the same exact time, but you could have been I coward." Danny scowled. _

"_What finally made it clear was the Nasty Burger incident. The enemy ghost impersonated you supposedly to get to the Fentons. That makes sense. Destroy the only people in the world who could make weapons to fight you. But why did he target your friends too? Why did he have a similar appearance to Phantom? How did your sister know that he was not you? Why impersonate you and not kill you too?_

"_The answer was simple. The enemy ghost was an alternate Phantom that needed the other Phantom alive to survive. And if Danny Fenton was Danny Phantom, then that would explain why he would not kill you too. Thus, he killed your friends and family to make sure that you would eventually lose your human part and become him." Batman finished._

"_Damn, you really are the World's Greatest Detective."_

"_Yes, yes I am." He did not sound arrogant. He just knew the fact was true._

"_Well, now what? You know what I am and what I could become. Are you here to threatened me, beat me up, arrest me or something?" Danny knew that if the Batman wanted to hurt him, he must have a plan to do so already, and thus there was nothing Danny could do to stop him._

"_No, I am here ask for your help." Danny's brain shut down for a second._

"_What? How could I help you?" Confused did not even begin to explain how Danny felt._

"_Your parents were the only people who understood ghosts and how to fight them. They built every effective ecto-weapon ever created. And now they are gone." That was the straw that broke the camel's back . Danny had held back the despair and anger for too long and it had came out. _

_He trembled and shook. His eyes flashed green. The air became freezing cold._

"_Quit beating around the bush! Tell me why you are here!" Danny stood up. White rings surrounded him and transformed him into his ghost form._

"_Calm down."_

"_Calm down! How am is supposed to calm down!? My family is dead! My friends are gone! And now I have someone I respected for years here confusing me and reminding me of what I lost! Do you know what it is like?! I see their faces everywhere! And every time I do all I can think about is how it is my fault! The grief, despair, and anger I feel is driving me insane! Tell me, do you know what that's like!" Danny roared._

"_I do." Batman stated solemnly. Danny was stunned. He… "I understand far more than you will ever know. Now calm down." Danny looked down at the ground and changed back to normal._

"_The main reason I am here is because you are now the leading expert on ghosts." Batman's voice didn't falter, but Danny was sure that he had to be joking._

"_Me the leading expert on ghosts? But I'm fourteen." _

"_That may be true, but it doesn't change the fact that you are the only person on the planet who has an understanding of ghosts, ghost weaponry, and ghost hunting. In fact, you are the only person to defeat ghosts on a daily basis."_

"_As Phantom, yes but Fenton-" Danny was cut off._

"_Fenton has listened to thousands of lectures on ghosts. Fenton has made, fixed, and fired ecto-weapons. Fenton is all the world has to fight ghosts the human way."_

"…" _Danny remained silent. That was not completely right. Vlad was a better scientist than Danny, but no one else knew that…_

"_And with the sudden realization that ghosts are a real threat danger and that ghost weaponry is so advanced, people will begin to come to you. As Fenton, they will ask for weaponry. As Phantom, they will ask for protection. And those are the good guys. The bad guys will want your technology and power to cause destruction and they won't care what they have to do to get their way."_

"…_So? Vlad is one the world's richest people. His power and influence will cause anyone to think twice. Plus, I can handle myself in a fight." _

"_Yes, that might stop them, but I am not here about that.. I need your help to fight ghosts myself. I have fought many foes, but I never had to fight something that can pass through all of my attacks, fly, turn invisible, and fire beams of energy all at once. I need to be ready in case a ghost ever comes to Gotham." Batman stated._

"_Didn't you ever try to make weapons yourself?" Danny questioned._

"_Yes, but ecto-technology is different from any other type of weapon I have ever seen. It is far above any tech I have. And I lack the time needed to understand it properly."_

_This was something Danny had dreamed of. The Batman was asking for his help. The only problem was one little fact. He was no where as good as his parents in inventing. But…he has been around ghost tech all of his life and he had Vlad to help him._

"_I will help you on two conditions." Batman's eyes narrowed._

"_What conditions?" The air was tense._

"_First, you must never tell anyone about me being Phantom or any of my other secrets. Even to the Justice League."_

"_Done. What's the second condition."_

"_If I ever become…that thing…you promise that you will not stop until I can never hurt anyone ever again."_

"_I already planned to."_

_Memory sequence end_

* * *

><p>"I wish I could tell you about it, but I promised not to." Danny really wished he could, but he did promise.<p>

"Look, I have homework to do, if you get serious and need to talk about what happened, then call me. But I will no sit here and let you make me feel guilty and avoid all my questions." Valerie rubber her eyes and stood up.

As she began to walk away Danny said one more thing. "Wait, answer one more question for me."

"Sigh…fine, what is it?" Valerie gave Danny an annoyed look. Danny took a look around to make sure that no one was listening.

He then whispered to her, "Why did you never tell me that you were the Red Huntress?"

Valerie was silent as she slid back into her seat. She had a lost look on her face.

"How…How did you know?" Valerie whispered harshly.

"There is a video camera in Fenton Works." That actually wasn't a lie. Too bad the camera was almost always broken. "When Phantom unmasked you, it was caught on video. Don't worry, I was the only one that saw it. I made sure to delete it too." Okay, that part was a huge lie. Sue him.

"…You've known all this time and you didn't say anything." Valerie gave him a strange look.

"It was your secret to tell. I was going to let you tell me on your own, but your recent non-activity has me worried, Val," Danny revealed his reason. It was partially the truth, at least.

Valerie was silent for a moment. She used this pause to look outside. The day was cold and grey outside.

"…I-I just … something happened recently. I got into a fight and I lost. Badly. I just can't get my self to get back out there. It's just-" Valerie stopped there. She seemed to lose her voice.

Danny was shocked. This was not the confident Valerie he knew. Dear God, what had he done?

"Who did you fight with?" He already knew, but he had to keep up appearances.

"…Phantom," Valerie was now having a staring contest with the table.

"Him? You've face him a bunch of times. What made this time different? Was it the new powers?" By now, his Ghostly Wail and Ice Powers were public knowledge. So he knew that he would give nothing away.

"Yeah, he used that ice thing, but that was not what turned the edge." Valerie mumbled.

"Huh?" That was what Danny thought was what did it. "Then what was it?"

"It's hard to explain. But I had him cornered for a moment and then he got angry. And then…the pain started. Not physical pain, but emotional pain. For a short time that seemed like an eternity, I was flooded with feelings of despair, grief, and anger. I felt like their was no hope. And-and I just couldn't move. Phantom did not become faster or stronger, I just couldn't bring myself to do anything." Valerie was covering her arms in a protective manner.

'Did I transfer my emotions to her? That's impossible-Wait! I heard about this once, but that would mean that I…' Danny remember a long lecture his dad gave him once. One that stood out above the hundreds of thousands of others.

"So you were overcome with emotion to the point you were paralyzed?" She nodded. "That's like with all those cases of haunted buildings, cemeteries, and what some consider sacred ground. My dad was really serious when he talked about it. He said that while most consider it paranoia, others think that spirits or demons make you feel that way. I think he called it…ghostly presence. It might be like that, but…"

"But what?" Valerie seemed very concerned with what he was saying.

"But you were fighting Phantom not destroying a sacred landmark or anything. This does not make any sense…I can look in my p-parents old books if you want." From her look, Danny understood that Valerie did not miss his stutter when speaking about his parents.

"Thank you." She did not seemed all that relieved, though.

"Your welcome." He paused for a moment, then said, "Val, I know that this probably shook you up, but are you really going to let this stop the Red Huntress? I mean, when you set your mind to something, you never let anything change your mind. I understand if you choose not to continue ghost hunting, it can't be easy (Danny definitely knew this). But I don't think you should stop because of Phantom."

"I've heard your thoughts about the ghost." It was true they talked about it once. The conversation didn't end well.

"Look this is not about my opinion or your opinion. This is about the fact that you have the ability to help people. Now it is your choice about what to do. You can sit back and let Phantom do everything, but that is not the Valerie Gray I know." Danny had conviction in his eyes.

"But Phantom-" Valerie did not get a chance to finish that thought.

"But Phantom nothing. Have you ever noticed how he uses ghost hunting equipment?" Danny hoped that he would not have to put himself out there like this.

"Yeah, he must have stolen them." Valerie said instinctively.

"No, he didn't." Danny's voice was full of conviction.

"How do you know that?" Valerie looked shocked and confused.

Danny knew what he wanted to say. He wanted to say, 'Because I am Danny Phantom." Dear God, he wanted to confess that to her. To tell her the truth, but that could not happen right now. Not now.

"Because I gave them to him." There was no turning back now.

"You gave a ghost ecto-weapons? Let alone, to Phantom?! No wait! How do you even know Phantom?" Valerie said with a hissing whisper. She now looked furious.

"He came out of the ghost portal when it was first activated. I kind of accidentally turned it on, and well, it got crazy after that." That sentence was one hundred percent the truth. Yeah!

"wha-"

"Please, just let me finish, okay?" Valerie gave a slow nod. "I had a freak out moment, but he managed to calm me down and explain that he wasn't going to kill me or anything. And, well, we kind formed a friendship? Not a good one or anything, but I'm not gonna judge someone because of his race or species. And when the ghost attacks started, Phantom decided to stop them. I wanted to help, but I couldn't fight, so I provided him with some weaponry to help him. The rest you can probably figure out for yourself."

Wow, that was a huge heaping bile of bull crap right there!

"…you…you just trusted Phantom your family's inventions. Weren't you concerned that he would abuse them?" Now the confusion was back, but the fury was still far from gone.

"A little. No one is above the corruption of power, but…he saved me from ghosts multiple times. I decided to take a leap of faith. After all, I would trust him with my life." Danny gave a fake grin. Of course he trusted himself with his own life. It would be sad if he didn't.

"But he didn't save your family." Valerie instantly regretted her words.

Danny tried to fight back his look of anger and grief. He truly did. But it still shown through. His lips curled into a frown. His eyebrows curved down into a glare. His hands began to tremble.

"Danny, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-" The confusion and anger was now completely gone. In it's place was a look which said, 'Damn I'm an idiot!'.

"Yeah, yeah I know what you meant, but knowing changes nothing. Yes, Phantom failed to save them, but he did stop that **thing** from going on a rampage. And he wouldn't have been able to do that without the Fenton tech. I don't' regret trusting Phantom with the weapons." Danny place his hands on his face and rubbed his temples. He was trying not to take his bad mood out on Valerie.

'Ung, I need to take a flight soon.' He thought.

"Look, I didn't mean for this to become an argument or a debate or anything. I just think that the Red Huntress can do a lot of good for this town. But I won't judge you if you decide to quit. This is your choice. Just don't let Phantom be apart of the equation. He is not the enemy here." Danny got up to leave. "I'll talk to you later, Val."

"Wait. Danny." Danny stopped walking and turned back.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it."

* * *

><p>"Really, Skulker? Don't you ever get tired of this?" Danny yelled as he blasted Skulker's missiles out of the air.<p>

"The hunter never tires of the hunt, Whelp!" Skulter grinned as he continued to fire at the young ghost.

"The hunter should learn when its prey is to hard to kill!" Danny shouted when he began toward fly to his most common enemy. This time he dodged the missiles and blasts until he got close enough to Skulter to punch him.

"Ung!" Skulker groaned as he was hit back. "So you admit you're the prey!"

"Only in your weird head, Skulker." The air got cold around Phantom as his ice powers activated. The next blasts coated Skulker's armor is ice. The suit's systems began to shut down and Skulker began to plummet to the ground.

Before he hit the ground, though, Danny used an ectoplasmic powered punch to shatter the suit into pieces.

"Grrr." Despite the suit being in multiple pieces, Skulker could still talk through his suit. "Stupid new power…Just you wait, Whelp! I will find a way to defeat you! Then you will be mounted on my wall!"

"Yeah, just keep telling yourself that. I will always be up to the challenge." Danny then used his Thermos to capture the hunter ghost.

And then the silence was back. The night was calm again.

'Really, that was too easy. My ice powers are incredibly strong. Maybe next time I should limit myself to using a set of powers only. Just to make it more challenging…' Danny thought. He had been training constantly for the past month to not only control his new powers, but also strengthen his old ones. Especially Duplication, that power had a whole world of possibilities. Not only in combat to. Imagine what he could get done if there were four of him.

Danny was so immersed in his thoughts that he didn't notice the presence walk up behind him.

"Hehehehe! Now that was entertaining!" Danny turned around immediately. He was ready for a second round.

"Relax! Relax! I was just here for the show. If I wanted to fight, you would already be on the ground bleeding, Phantom." The person speaking was a scrawny looking teenage boy with pale skin. He was wearing a suit and his hair seemed to be pointed up into horns. If that wasn't strange enough, the boy seemed to be carrying a cat.

"Who are you?!" Danny didn't like this guy. His ghost sense hadn't gone off, but his gut was telling him that he was no normal human being.

"Now that is rude. One must introduce oneself before asking for some else's name, eh Phantom?." The boy was grinning from ear to ear.

"…But you already know my name…" Danny didn't let his guard down, but he could help but wonder if this guy was for real.

"Yeah, but it's the principle of the matter!" "Meow!" "Fine, fine I'll get on with this." Did he just talk to his cat?

"My name is Klarion and this is Teekl. Okay are you happy?" "Meow," Okay so he was talking to a cat. That did not get to Danny. Sam used to talk to plants like they were people. No, the unusual part was that the cat was answering the boy.

"Does that cat understand you?" Danny was now curious.

"Of course, Teekl is the smartest cat ever. Period." Klarion held the cat in front of him for emphasis.

"…I am not going to argue with that…Fine, Klarion, what do you want?" Danny said defensively.

"Can't a guy just watch two ghosts duke it out?" Klarion cheekily countered.

"In my experience, no. If you just wanted to watch the fight, you wouldn't have approached me." Danny floated into the air and began to circle the boy.

"Hmm, good point…" Klarion smirked. He didn't turn to look at Phantom as he was circled. He just stared straight ahead.

"…What exactly are you, anyway? Your not a ghost, I can tell. But you are also not human. You seem…to powerful for that." It was true. Despite his skinny appearance, Klarion had power oozing off him in waves.

"Oh! You have good instinct, I will have to remember that. You're right, I'm not a ghost and I'm not a human. I am far above that." Klarion then giggled a little, like there was some joke Danny didn't know.

"Above humans and ghosts…an alien?"

"Nooooooo"

"A meta human?"

"Noooooo"

"…a vampire?"

"Hahahahahahahhahahah! Nope, three strikes, you're out!" Klarion seemed to be having fun at least.

"Then what?" Danny landed ten yards in front of the boy.

"I'll never tell!" Klarion's grin bordered on insanity.

"…All right, so besides annoying me, do you have another reason for being here." Danny was now ready for this conversation to be over.

"Well, I just couldn't stay away any longer. There's just so much…chaos around here. The supernatural activity. The panic. The so called accident. And now the government trying to interfere. It's all just so much fun!" Klarion's eyes turned red.

'How does he know about the Guys in White?' Danny thought. It was true. Recently, the GIW had been trying to hunt down Danny Phantom. They came using new skills and new technology. Each time they failed, of course, but that did seem to stop them. Apparently he was to big of a threat to be left unchecked.

Whatever.

"So, you're here to enjoy the chaos? That makes no sense." Danny was truly perplexed. This was one of the weirdest people he had ever met.

"Really? You seemed to enjoy the little flare of chaos during your fight." Klarion smiled knowingly.

"I won't deny that." Danny glared at the boy. "It was a good stress reliever."

"Hehe, exactly! Chaos take the edge off of everything."

"To an extent, but too much chaos only brings destruction." Danny glared at the other boy.

"Oh, you sound like those killjoys I am forced to work with…I shouldn't have said that…Oh well!" Klarion giggled again.

"Huh? Work with? There are more beings like you?" Danny was trying to get this situation straight.

"Psh! As if! There is no one else in the world quite like me?" Klarion seemed quite proud of that.

"Then what are you talking about?!" Danny's temper was ready to flare up.

"Oh, I am trying to get a riel out of you. From what I can see, the result will be quite fun. I mean it is soooooo rare for such a young ghost to have a Haunting Aura."

"A What?"

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh! I know something you don't know!" Klarion looked like he wanted to do a little dance. "You know. The thing where a ghost makes others feel what they feel!"

'That's not what Dad called it…' "You mean a ghostly presence." Danny questioned.

"Huh? Oh hey, that is the new term for it… Haunting Aura sounds better though…" Klarion rubbed his chin.

"Okay, now I'm getting a headache." Danny ruffled his hair.

"Hahah! Then my work here is done!" Klarion turned and began to walk away.

"Wait a second! What was the point of this anyway?" Danny yelled after him.

Klarion turned his head to look back at Danny, "The point? The point is you have gained the attention of some very powerful people, Phantom." A portal opened in front of Klarion. It couldn't be a ghost portal, though. It was too…red.

"And soon, you and all ghosts will have to step out into…The Light." Klarion laughed as he stepped into the portal.

Silence. Klarion was gone. Danny was completely confused. There was one thing Danny could say about this situation.

"What just happened?"

* * *

><p>It was official. Dani was completely bored. And she did not deal with boredom well. Her bored moments usually ended with something being broken…<p>

Yeah, a lot of stuff was broken over the past month…

It was just that her dad was working in his lab and Danny was out doing something. Probably fighting some ghost. Saving people. Being awesome… Shut up she totally wasn't jealous!

Dani had already asked Danny and her Dad if she could go out and fight. Her dad gave an immediate no. And Danny told her that she was too young and inexperienced. That was rich coming from a teenage boy.

"What to do? What to do? What do you think, Cujo?" She asked the sleeping ghost dog. His leg twitched for a second, but he didn't move beside that.

"Sigh…You're no fun…" Dani mumbled.

A few weeks a go, the little dog came into the house and started to run around the manor. Danny and Vlad spent a good five minutes trying to stop the ghost dog. It was hilarious and Dani instantly fell in love with the cute puppy.

A few pleases and a two pairs of puppy dog eyes later, Cujo was there to stay. Really, Danny and Vlad stood no chance. A puppy and a little girl, what person could say no to that?

"Ugn…" Dani groaned as she flopped onto the couch. "Maybe I should have some target practice."

"I don't think Vlad will like that." a voice called from the living room entrance.

"Danny!" Dani called out to her older brother. "Where have you been! I was getting soooooo bored."

"Sorry, Danielle, I was busy." He seemed tired. "It's been a long day." Danny in human form groaned as he slid into a leather chair. The entire living room screamed luxury. There were three leather chairs, a large couch that was longer than a school busy, an imported Italian carpet, and a burning fireplace. It was obvious who picked out the furniture.

"What happened?" Dani floated over to her brother.

"…I just had some unpleasant meetings today. An ex-girlfriend, a terrible hunter, and the weirdest person I have ever met." Danny rubbed his eyes.

"Wow, I didn't know you had a girlfriend." Dani was surprised. She never imagined Danny dating before.

"Of course, that's what you got out of that…Yeah, I had a girlfriend, but she dumped me." Danny looked really tired.

"Oh…did she dump you because you were a bad kisser?" Dani grinned.

"What! No!" Danny stood up in anger as Dani laughed in mid air. "She dumped me because… because she was a ghost hunter and-" He was cut off.

"She figured out your identity?" Danielle interrupted him.

"No, she was too interested in hunting Phantom to pay attention to Fenton." Danny sat back down.

"Oh…Sorry" Dani looked down ashamed.

"Forget about it." Danny mumbled.

There would have been an awkward silence there, but luckily, it was interrupted.

"Oh Daniel, I didn't know you returned." The secret entrance to the lab opened and Vlad stepped out. "I trust your meeting went well."

"Yeah, I think she's gonna get back in the game." Danny sat up straight to look at his mentor.

"Excellent! That leaves you free to go to the Holiday party in Metropolis." Vlad grinned.

"The one being thrown by Lex Luthor?" Danny questioned.

"That's the one." Vlad walked over the end of the couch and slid into a seat. His hand reached out and began to pet Cujo

"Yeah, with Val holding down the fort, I will be able to go. Not that I really want to mind you." Danny groaned. The whole thing sounded boring to Danny. A bunch of rich dudes bragging to each other. Yeah that seemed like fun.

"Can I go?" Dani floated over to her father.

"Yes, child. All of your papers are finished. Now no one will question how you came to exist." Luckily, money could make almost anything happen. Even the forgery of birth documents and social security numbers.

"Yes! Finally! I was getting tired of being stuck in the house!" Dani cheered.

"Yes, now you get to go to a boring party and eventually go to school. Good for you." Sarcasm rolled of Danny's voice.

"Don't be a kill joy, Danny!" Danielle yelled.

"I'm your older sibling. It's my job to be your kill joy." Danny smirked.

"Now, now children, don't start fighting," Vlad said, even though he was clearly amused by his young charges. "You should save your energy for training."

"I don't know whether to groan in agony or cheer for joy…" Dani mumbled.

"Alright, Vlad," Danny stated as he stood up. "Let's get started then. Are we working on duplication again? Or are we gonna try energy shaping again?"

Danny didn't give Vlad a chance to answer the question, however. "Oh Wait! I almost forgot to ask you something."

"Hmmm…" That was unusual. Danny rarely interrupted the training for anything other than a ghost attack. "What is it?"

"Have you ever heard of a guy named Klarion?" Danny saw Vlad's reaction immediately.

Vlad paled. He seemed both shocked and horrified. "Where did you here that name, Daniel?"

"Some weird guy with a bad suit and an ugly cat said that was his name." Danny said.

"The Witch Boy…" Danny heard Vlad whisper.

Dani was now officially intrigued. Her dad never acted like this.

"Who is he, Dad?" Dani questioned her father.

"He…is not the type of person you should associate with. His purpose in life is to cause chaos. No plans. No reason. Just chaos… If he is interested in you… What else did he say?" Vlad looked very concerned about this situation.

"Ummm… something about ghosts bringing chaos…panic and chaos…cats and chaos…and oh yeah, he mentioned that I have a ghostly presence er... Haunting Aura." Danny finished.

"…a Haunting Aura? What's that?" Dani asked.

"It is an incredibly rare ability some ghosts have. A ghost with this power can bring men to their knees with just emotions. I have this ability also, but I try not to use it because it draws a lot of attention." Vlad stood up and moved over to the fire.

"Why is it so rare?" Dani asked. Danny was watching his mentor carefully.

"…A ghost needs to have a certain level of power and strong emotions to use it. This ability is a defining factor really…it separates regular ghosts from the S-rank ghost."

"S-rank?!" Dani did not understand what that was. Danny did, however. He knew how serious an S-rank ghost should be taken

"An S-rank ghost is a ghost which has an incredible amount of power." Danny remember a lecture his mom told him a few years ago. "They rarely ever come out of the Ghost Zone, but when they do the other ghosts flee in terror… I actually fought three before: Vlad, the Fright Knight, and Pariah Dark."

Actually, Danny had fought one more. Dark Dan. The one ghost that made other S-rank ghosts almost look like weaklings. From what he learned in the alternate future, Danny knew that Dark Dan either hunted down, imprisoned, or recruited all of the S-rank ghosts. It was just one more terrifying thing Danny's alternate future self did.

"None of them used a Haunting Aura, though." Danny rubbed his chin in thought.

"Well, I don't like to use it because it draws too much attention. The Fright Knight prefers to fight up close and personal. And Pariah Dark was too proud to use it against a ghost that barely had any battle experience." Vlad stated.

"Good point…" Danny agreed with Vlad.

Then there was silence. All the half-ghosts were left to their thoughts. Well, until the tense silence was broken that is.

CRASH!

"Danielle!" Vlad yelled.

"Sorry! I got bored! Don't worry, I'll clean it up!" She yelled back. She didn't seem nervous about it, though. Dani had Vlad rapped around her little finger.

"You have the shortest attention span ever…alright I guess this is just another thing I have to train." Danny gained a look of conviction.

"Yes, lets get starte-" "BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!" Vlad was interrupted by Tucker's…Danny's PDA.

Danny pulled out the device and looked at it. "There's a ghost attack happening in town…The news says that some ghost is freezing stuff and asking everyone to be his friend…God have mercy." Danny groaned.

Vlad sighed, "Fine go and do that hero thing you like to do…but be ready for training when you get back."

"You got it!" Danny transformed and flew up to the ceiling, ready to go fight the ghost.

"Can I go?" Dani yelled/asked.

"No!" Both Vlad and Danny yelled.

"Awwwwwwwwwwww"

* * *

><p>There were five words Danny always dreaded hearing. Five simple words that made Danny want to scream and bang his head against a wall. And as he flew toward the ghost "attack," he knew for sure that he was going to hear them again.<p>

"Will you be my friend?" Klemper asked a random pedestrian who, like everyone else, was fleeing in terror.

"Klemper!" Danny called to the blond ghost.

Klemper turned and smiled at the young halfa. Unlike other ghost, Klemper did not have bad intentions for people. He was merely looking for a friend. His clingy personality, however, made everyone around him uncomfortable and caused them to leave. Danny did feel a bit of pity for the ghost, but the annoyance factor killed it.

"Phantom! I knew you'd come if I drew enough attention!" Klemper's slurred voice answered Danny.

"You…wanted me to come?" That was unusual the only time a ghost wanted Danny's attention was when they were trying to, you know, kill him.

"Yes! I heard that you have ice powers just like me! That means that we can be really good friends!" Klemper attempted to hug Danny, but the halfa just dodged the blond ghost.

"I'm not looking for any friends right now, Klemper. Go back to the Ghost Zone." Danny ordered.

"No! Everyone there is mean! I just want a friend, and we can be best friends! And if I go back to the Ghost Zone, then we can't be friends!" Klemper's logic was true, very weird mind you, but true.

"I'm not the type of person you would want as a friend, Klemper. A lot of ghosts want me gone. Being my friend would just get you killed." Danny tried to reason with the ghost.

"There is no danger here that isn't in the Ghost Zone." That was actually a great argument.

"Look, I don't have time to look after you and keep you out of trouble. Go home, now." Danny once again ordered the blond ghost.

"But I could help yo-" Klemper was cut off.

"I don't need help! I will be fine fighting on my own! Now go away!" Danny yelled at Klemper.

"…no…" Klemper mumbled.

"What!" Danny didn't hear what the ghost mumbled.

"I said NO!" The temperature around the two ghost dropped significantly. "I'm tired of mean people bossing me around! You're not my friend and that makes you my enemy!"

Klemper fired freezing blasts at Phantom. For a moment, Danny was shocked. Klemper never acted like this before. The shock quickly wore of, though, and Danny sprung into action.

Phantom dodged the blasts and fired some regular ectoplasmic blasts at Klemper. A wall of snow rose up to protect Klemper. The blasts didn't even cause the snow to melt a little.

The snow wall changed shaped as Klemper commanded it to rise above him. Klemper raised his arms above his head and clapped his hands together. After the clap, the snow formed a giant snowball and with a fling of Klemper's arms, it was thrown at Phantom.

Danny couldn't dodge this one. It would cause massive damage to the building behind him, and, more importantly, it might hurt someone.

Knowing that his ice powers could not match up to Klemper's, yet, Danny decided to use the old fashioned way. He coated both his arms in ectoplasm and used the power up to do a double punch at the snowball.

The hit did not stop the snow ball at first. Danny was pushed back about ten meters, before he finally over came the attack. With a large shout, Danny blasted ectoplasm into the giant attack and caused the ball to explode.

Luckily, Danny's powers gave him a high tolerance, almost immunity, to these type of attacks. His arms hurt like crap, now, but he wasn't frozen. The same could not be said for the ground, though. The attack had caused the ground between Klemper and Danny to be completely frozen. It probably won't freeze for a while, too.

'Okay, looks like distance fighting isn't going to end well. That means I need to get up close and personal.' Danny then shot forward to his opponent. The gap was closed in an instant, but Danny forgot something important. Klemper was a hugger.

The bear hug Danny was but in felt like being crushed by a cobra. Danny groaned in pain as Klemper tried to break his arms and ribs.

Without his arms, Danny resorted to a more… base attack. The almighty head but slammed into Klemper's nose three times before he let go.

"Augh!" Klemper cried out in pain as he hold his face.

Now free from the hug of death, Danny brought his right fist back and punched square in the gut. Klemper flew backwards a dizzying speeds. After his trip, he landed about twenty feet away.

As Klemper groaned on the ground in pain, Danny collected himself. 'Okay, maybe limiting what powers I use is a bad idea. I definitely prefer dominating.'

Danny then began to walk toward the fallen ghost. He pulled out the Thermos and was prepared to capture the blond ghost when he heard the ghost's sobbing.

"Sob…I…sniff…just want…sob… one friend…" Klemper cried.

After hearing this, Danny lowered the Thermos. This was not right.

The poor blond ghost looked so familiar. It reminded Danny of someone familiar. It reminded Danny of himself.

* * *

><p><em>Memory sequence begin<em>

"_What's the matter freak? Do you want your mommy?" A boy who was a lot larger than Danny taunted as he kicked the boy on the ground. The boy's group of friends were all laughing. They took great joy in the second grader's pain._

"_Please, stop. I didn't do anything." Danny cried. His side hurt a lot. He didn't know it, but one of his ribs was broken._

"_My dad says that your whole family is a bunch of freaks. And that all of you should get out of our town. I hope this gives you some motivation." The boy kicked Danny again._

_Tears ran down Danny's face. He was just glad that Tucker wasn't here. He didn't want his only friend to get hurt because of him._

_To lesson the pain, Danny curled up into a ball. As he did so, Danny prayed to God that this torture would end soon._

"_Yeah freak you just keep cryin-Ack!" The taunt was interrupted by a cry of pain. Danny didn't know what happened. He was too scared to look up._

_The next minute was filled with shouts of anger and pain. Most of them were from the bullies, but some of them sounded… female._

_Soon the sound shifted to one of many people running away and a loud shout of, "And don't even think about coming back, you pansies!"_

_Danny stilled laid there and didn't move. The pain in his side and from all of his other bruises was too much for the young child. He just wanted to be left alone._

"_Hey, are you okay?" A gentle voice asked him._

_Slowly, Danny lifted his head. The girl in front of him had dark hair and was dressed in a black sweater and old jeans. She seemed a little hurt and looked like she would get a black eye soon. But she still had a smile on her face._

"_Ye-yeah," Danny meekly lied. His side really hurt._

"_What's your name," The girl asked._

"_Ummm…" Danny didn't know what to say._

"_Well, Ummm, my name is Sam."_

_Memory sequence end_

* * *

><p>That was the first time Danny ever met Sam. It was also the first time anyone had stood up for him like that. He remembered what it was like to be the guy no one wanted around. To be the one in desperate need of a friend.<p>

Danny looked down at the Thermos in his hand. He quickly put the cap back on the ghost container. Then, he let the Thermos to fall to the ground.

After the Thermos settled on the ground, Klemper looked up at Danny. He seemed surprised.

"I have a set of rules for you," Danny stated.

"Huh?" Klemper looked very confused.

"One: I don't do hugs and I will need a personal space bubble of at least one foot. Two: if I am ever asleep, you better not wake me up, unless it is an emergency. Three: If I ask for time alone, that means I need time alone. And four: If we ever end up in a fight with someone else, you will do what I say, when I say it." Danny listed his rules.

"Does… does that mean." Klemper's tears were now of joy.

"Yes Klemper, I will be your friend."

* * *

><p><strong>The Haunting Aura is the ability to force emotions into other beings. It is not telepathy, though. And it has a...negative effect on machinery, too. Not much, but a little.<strong>

**Klemper and Cujo will play a large roll in some chapters and will not appear in others. They are support characters really. And my reason for using them is that they were never expanded upon. ****Cujo bonded with Danny, then he just disappeared. How lame is that? He could have been like Ace or Krypto, but no. He disappeared, well until he reappeared in Reign Storm and attacked Danny. ****Klemper always had my sympathy. His obsession is obviously friendship, and yet they never gave him a chance to change and evolve. Lame. He will become an important factor in this story.**

**Thank you for reading and please...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	5. Holidays

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Christmas is a holiday that persecutes the lonely, the frayed,

and the rejected." Jimmy Cannon

* * *

><p>Chapter 5: "Holidays"<p>

(Tuesday-December 22, 2009)

Lex Luthor's holiday party had three distinct types of guests.

One group was made up the richest and most powerful people in the world. They all were dressed in the finest, most expensive clothing money could by. Each one of them were making small talk in groups of three to seven. Most likely, they were all bragging about their achievements of the year and the various plans they had for the next year.

The second group was the media. Reporters and journalists were all here to try and find the story that could make a career. It all looked kind of sad, though. The journalists were all trying to interview the other guests, only to be rejected and sent away. Then the reporters would sulk for a little and then approach another group of guests. It was a vicious (albeit hilarious) cycle.

Then there was last smallest group. The children were all spread around the room. Their parents and/or guardians were keeping them close to help brag to the children's achievements as if they were their own. Every single of those poor children looked bored to death.

And, of course, Danielle Masters was apart of this sad group of individuals.

"…of course it was a surprise, but what a grand surprise it was indeed. To find out that I have a daughter was the greatest gift I could ask for. Her mother, God rest her soul, never told me about Danielle. It was a short relationship, but…" Vlad had told this same exact story six times.

Six excruciatingly painful terrible stories that Dani had been forced to listen to.

"Um, Dad, I kind of have to go to the bathroom." Dani tried to get away from her father.

"Of course, my dear. As I was saying…" Dani ran away as fast as she could. She could have run faster, but the stupid, God-forsaken, black dress she had to wear was slowing her down.

"Having fun, Dani?" Danny was leaning against the wall. He, unlike Dani, had managed to avoid the press and the crowds.

"No! This whole thing can be summed up in two words, 'This sucks'!" Dani rated to her older brother.

"I hate to say this, but I told you so," Danny smirked into his cup of punch.

"Oh shut up. It's bad enough that I almost died of boredom six times tonight. I don't need you reminding me about it." Dani pouted. The worst part of it was being next to her dad for so long had stopped her from quelling her boredom in her usual way. Breaking something.

"Well, I did try to warn you about this sort of thing. The adults get all sentimental and sappy during these parties. There is little chance for escape. But no, you just had to ignore my warning and rush into the crowds." Danny reminded his clone. "No one listens to poor Danny Fenton…"

"Sigh…Okay I get it. How do you know so much about these things?" Dani asked.

"While my parents were not the most popular people ever, they never stopped trying to make friends. They always dragged me and Jazz to these stupid parties and tried to mingle. They failed, we were miserable, and it somehow always ended in disaster… I always hated those times. I wished they would stop, but now…" Danny's cheerful mask that he spent a lot of time developing slipped. His eyes went dead and his face fell into a frown.

The look only lasted for a few seconds, but it was still a terrible thing to see. Dani hated seeing her big brother/idol look so… vulnerable. Dani said nothing about the look, of course. Out of respect and love for her older sibling.

"So you have experience on avoiding these crazy people?" Dani tried to bring Danny back to reality.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. You just have to know the cycle. Move when they're all laughing. They can't see you when they laugh with their eyes closed." Danny point over to the various groups of people laughing.

"Ugn. I don't think I will be able to move fast enough in this stupid thing." Dani gestured at her dress. The black dress was made of silk. It seemed to flow into a folded pattern until it ended slightly below her knees. Even Danny had to admit it, she looked cute. Miserable, but cute nonetheless.

…Was it weird that he called his younger female clone cute?…Naw…well…naw…Okay it is a little…

"At least you can breathe. This stupid tie has been choking me for hours." Danny once again messed with his tie. "I hate wearing suits."

"You get used to it." a young voice said behind Danny.

Dani looked to say who was talking and instantly blushed. The voice belong to a boy only a few years older that she was. He had his dark hair sleeked back and his eyes shined with mischievous. He was dressing in a dark suit and Dani could that he was athletic.

Dani had developed her first crush, in about 0.5 seconds. If Danny knew, he probably would have been defensive of his adopted little sister. He was called clueless for a reason, though…

"It rude to eavesdrop, dude. Especially with people you never met before." Danny commented to the boy. He was just glad they didn't say anything ghost related.

"Sorry, I just couldn't stand listening to all the boring grown ups anymore. My name Richard Grayson, but everyone calls me Dick." the boy grinned at the two.

"Hey, Dick, I'm Danny and this is Danielle. It's weird, I know, but you get used to it." Danny looked over at Dani and saw that she looked a little red. "You okay, Danielle? You look a little sick."

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. In fact, I'm great. It's so nice to meat you, Dick." Dani gave Dick a small shy smile.

"The pleasure is mine." Dick gave her his own smile.

"Ehh…" Danny was now getting a bad vibe. His big brother instincts were now kicking in. Not even he was that clueless. "So, Dick?" Danny stepped in-between Dani and Dick. "Do you need something?"

"Yeah, I just needed a distraction from my boredom. For such a high class party, this has got to be one of the most boring events of the year." Dick gestured around the room.

"Well, you have a point there. I've seen for liveliness in a graveyard- Dani! Put down the vase." Danny turned to see his clone playing with a vase.

"Sorry, I was just looking." Dani looked sheepish.

"Yeah, right. I bet you were trying to practice your juggling." Danny sighed. " Anyway, Dick…Where'd he go?"

It was true. The young boy had disappeared. Danny didn't even hear his footsteps. He could have sworn that he heard light laughter, though…weird.

"Awww. I wanted to talk to him some more." She didn't notice when Danny twitched. "Oh, I just realized something." Dani gained a look of remembrance.

"What?" Danny questioned.

"I wasn't lying when I told Dad that I have to go to the bathroom." She ran away as fast as her dress would allow her. Behind her, Danny was laughing.

'Stupid older brother,' Dani thought.

* * *

><p>Danny could hardly hold back his laughter. There were few things these days that could make Danny this happy. His adopted sister was one of them.<p>

"Glad to see the younger generation is enjoying my party." Unlike Dick, this voice did not surprise Danny. He was expecting this man to talk to him eventually. The only question was when.

Obviously the time was now…

"Oh Mr. Luthor, I didn't see you there." Danny answered the taller man.

Lex Luthor was what Danny had always thought what business men would look like. He was dressed in the finest clothes money could buy. His face and his head were both completely shave (or he was bald, but even Danny had enough tact not to ask about that). He stood tall and confident. This man believed he owned the world, and with his money, he was as close as any business man could…well without war, genocide, and mass chaos, of course.

Next to the man was a young woman. She was a cute girl with short brown hair and brown eyes. Her suit dress hugged her curves well, too. In all, she was very good looking. The lack of emotion in her eyes and face creped Danny out a little, though. The girl almost seemed like a robot.

"Don't worry about it young man. I am always glad to see my guests entertained. You have left me at a disadvantage, though. You know my name and I do not know yours." Luthor's voice was calm and polite. It was clear that he always chose his words carefully, even when he was talking to a teenager.

"Oh right, my name is Danny Fenton. It's nice to meet you Mr. Luthor." Danny was sure that Luthor knew who Danny was. With all the press Amity Park has gotten, someone would have to live under a rock to not know the details of the Nasty Burger Incident.

"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Fenton." Luthor extended his hand and Danny shook it. "I must say that when I heard that Vlad had took not only one but two children into his home, I was more than a little surprised. He never seemed like the father type."

"You know Vlad?" Danny was not really surprised that two of world's richest men knew each other. He was more surprise by the use of Vlad's first name. Were they friends?

"Ah yes, we worked together on several different projects over the years. He has a good sense for business. Virtually all of his investments have turned a profit." Luthor smiled.

"Yeah…" Danny knew about that. Vlad had mentioned how he used his powers to help… ensure a prophet. He didn't do it so much anymore, though. He had several investors to help bring in money now.

"His story is truly inspiration if you think about it. Man in a tragic accident rises like a phoenix. He goes from a former science major with a terrible illness to the man who was named billionaire of the year. A true American story, don't you think." The billionaire stared down at the boy.

"Heh, yep. It sure is." Minus the whole gaining super powers thing, of course. That rarely happens.

"We never know how our stories will be told in the end though, do we? That is for the future generations to decide." Luthor had to be going somewhere with this.

"Umm…" Danny did not know how to respond to that.

"How will Lex Luthor be portrayed in the future. Will I be remember for my accomplishments, or my failures?" Luthor gestured to himself. "And what about you? Will be remembered as the boy who let a terrible accident ruin him or will you be remembered as the man who did what was necessary to avenge your family?"

"What are you suggesting, Mr. Luthor?" Danny's eyes hardened. He had expected this conversation to turn this direction. But that did not give Luthor the right to talk about his family.

"Just think about it, Mr. Fenton. If you allow me, I can take your family's inventions and mass produce them. They can be used to stop not only the ghosts from terrorizing the people, but also to protect America." Luthor offered the young man.

"Mr. Luthor, I-" Danny was cut off.

"Wait, young Daniel, just hear me out." Luthor waited for Danny to nod then continued, "Your weapons can do great things for many people. They can stop ghost attacks. They can help protect our homes. They can help bring our armed forces home safely. They can help put America where she belongs. On top." Mr. Luthor was really good with words.

For a moment, Danny actually thought about agreeing with the man. He could help save hundreds of lives by giving the man the key to ectoplasmic weaponry. Not only that, his weapons would give American an edge not seen since the first nuclear bomb was used in World War 2. This sounded very compelling to Danny.

But he then realized what he was talking about. This was Lex Luthor. He would not help America. He would help only himself. Fenton weaponry would be sold to every country rich enough to buy them. The world would be pushed into a mass arms race. And it would be all Danny's fault.

"Wow…you almost had me there. To compel to my patriotism…that's a low blow, Mr. Luthor. Even I who knows nothing about politics know that you aren't exactly on the up and up on everything. No deal, Mr. Luthor. I won't sell my family's inventions to anyone. My parent's inventions are going to stay buried with them." Danny stated.

"What about yours?" Luthor asked.

"Huh?" Was Danny's intelligent response.

"You are making your own ectoplasm weaponry, are you not?" This was more of a statement than a question.

"You do realize that I'm fourteen right?" Danny diverted the question.

"What's your point? I was working with engines when I was your age. Built them from scratch, too. Age does not equal capability." Luthor argued.

"You're a genius. I'm a below-average underachiever. That's not really a good comparison." Danny had a very good argument.

"So you were lazy. Now, you have something to drive you. I can see it, too. I see the potential in your eyes, young man. You are the type of person who can change the world if you want. Now with the proper motivation, you will. And you are starting by carrying on you parent's legacy and inventing your own ectoplasmic equipment." Luthor gave Danny a knowing look.

"…What's your point?…" Danny gave up on denying the truth.

"You said that you won't sell your parent's inventions. What about yours?" Luthor smirked at the young man.

"The answer is still no." Danny glared at the businessman.

"Oh well, I tried. You should know, though. Other people will not be as kind as I was when asking you." Luthor smiled.

"What do-" "Mr. Luthor! Mr. Fenton!" A shout interrupted Danny. Damn it, the media had found him.

"Excuse me, you two, but I am Lois Lane with the Daily Planet. Does this meeting mean anything? Are you two discussing the possible business partnership between Lexcorp and Fenton Works? Mr. Fenton, are you planning on selling Fenton Works?" A beautiful woman with dark hair and eyes immediately went into her questions.

"Wha?" Danny was flabbergasted.

"Miss Lane, good to see you, but there is no business being conducted here. I was merely talking with my guest." Luthor kept his cool.

"Yeah…I don't buy it, Lex. You always have an agenda." Lois Lane turned to Danny. "You didn't answer my questions. What are your plans for Fenton works? As the last of your family, do you believe it is now your responsibility to hunt ghosts? In fact, how are you dealing with your loss and-" Thankfully she was stopped before Danny lost his temper.

"Lois! What are you doing?!" A tall man walked over to them. The man was dressed in a suit and had on a pair of glasses. He seemed like he would usually be somewhat of a meek person, but now he seemed angry.

"Clark, I was just-" "You were harassing this young man, Louis. Do you have any sense of tack? Rudely interrogating a survivor of a terrible accident as if he was a convicted criminal. Have a heart, Lois." The man's glare looked like it could melt steal.

If only Danny knew how right that statement was.

"Look Smallville, I was just trying to…sigh…you're right. I'm sorry, Mr. Fenton. I was just trying to stress the importance of this issue." Lois apologized.

"I understand, Miss Lane. And I hope you understand when I say, 'I have nothing to say to you'. Goodbye." Danny turned to Luthor and was about to say good bye to him as well, when Lois spoke up again.

"Wait! I know I might have come off rude, but the public still has a right to know! What are your plans for Fenton Work?" Lois asked.

"No comment," Danny stated.

"Lois, maybe we shou-" "No Clark, this has to be done," Lois glared at Clark for a moment. He sighed and turned to the younger man.

"Sorry Mr. Fenton, Mr. Luthor, could we please have a few minutes of your time." Clark rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ah, Mr. Kent. The only reporter I know with actual manners. Of course, I can talk to you, but my young friend here…" Luthor stopped and looked at Danny.

"Has better things to do than be harassed by the media. Goodbye, Mr. Luther." Danny turned to the male reporter and nodded. "Mr. Kent." He turned to the female reporter and scowled. "Miss Lane."

Danny then turned to leave. Lois did not let up, though. She followed after him and began to ask more questions.

"I am sorry, Mr. Fenton, but please could I have just one quote?" Louis inquired.

Danny did not stop walking. "Yeah, here's your quote. 'The media sucks'."

"Oh come one where's your Christmas spirit?" Lois used the holiday trick.

"Bah humbug." Danny was never really a fan of the holidays.

"Well, fine, then. I will just-" "Wow Lane, it takes talent to make a teenage guy run away from a woman. You haven't lost that feminine charm of yours at all." Danny froze. He knew that voice.

"Oh, if it isn't Chin. I didn't realize they let has-been reporters in this party." Lois glared at the Asian woman.

Danny turned and saw Harriet Chin. The female reporter that once tried to run a story about his dad and ghosts. She was quickly fired after that event and, of course, she blamed Danny's dad. It looked like she was now back on the scene.

Danny hoped she didn't hold any grudges against him.

"Better a has-been than a wannabe, Lane. At least, I made a contribution to society rather than you giving the same 'Superman Saves the Day' headline." Harriet smirked at the other woman.

"Oh, you mock my stories and yet I was the one who didn't have to screw someone to get in here. Come on Chin, tell me. To get into this party, who exactly did you have to f-" "Whoa, Ladies! I think this is going a bit too far." Clark stepped in between the two woman.

"And the boy toy is here too. Fantastic. At least you're around to keep Louis out of trouble." The fight would have continued, but Danny decided to step in.

"Harriet Chin?" The group of adults turned to Danny. They seemed to have forgotten that he was there. "You went to college with my parents right?"

"Danny! It's good to see you again. I-I'm glad that your safe." Harriet looked incredibly sad.

"I'm glad to see that your career wasn't completely ruined after the Wisconsin Ghost thing," Danny commented.

"Yes, well after what happened in Amity Park, it wasn't too hard to find a job. Every tabloid, newspaper, and television network was looking for any reporter with a ghost story. And considering mine involved your parents, well…" She trailed off.

"Wait, you know each other?" Lois seemed angry about that.

"Kind of…" Harriet answered.

"Well, just because you were his parents' friends doesn't mean you can just come in and steal my story," Lois ranted.

Before another cat fight could ensue, Clark stepped in. "Lois, I think we should let this one go."

"But Clark!"

"Lois…"

"…Fine, let's go." Before they walked off, Lois sent one last glare at Harriet. Harriet just smiled.

"…So Harriet, how have you been?" Danny awkwardly asked.

"Fine, I've been holding up, but what about you? I know that this had to be terrible for you." Harriet looked very concerned.

"More than you can ever imagine…" Danny kept a neutral mask on his face.

"…Look, I am so…sorry about what happened in Wisconsin. I was mad about being fired and I just…I just took it out on your dad. And he just stood there and let me yell at him…I always regretted it, but now….now I can't get it out of my head. It wasn't his fault. He didn't force me to write that story. He may have not had the most tact, but he always cared about the people around him and now…and now…" Harriet looked like she was on the verge of tears.

"He forgave you." She turned so fast her neck popped. "Sure he griped for a little bit, but that was it. He never thought badly of you. That was the type of person he was. He forgave you without a second thought."

"…Thank you. I-I needed to hear that…" She dabbed her eyes with a hand kerchief.

"Hey, I have a Christmas present that might cheer you up." Danny rubbed his head.

"What?" Harriet questioned.

"How would you like the first ever exclusive with the only surviving Fenton?"

As the two talked they didn't notice Luthor open his phone to make a call. "Yes, its me...I tried to reason with him, but he said no...yes, plan B it is then... I'll make sure they get in without any trouble... oh, don't worry the whole point is publicity not success...He just went through a tragic accident, of course he has a weapon on him...Yes, the big blue boyscout will be out of the way...make sure to tell them not to kill anyone important, we might need them for the future...Yes, goodbye."

He turned to the girl beside him. "Let's retreat to somewhere more quite, Mercy."

* * *

><p>Dani laughed softly as she followed her adopted brother's (really genetic father, but that was too weird for Dani to think about) advise. It really seemed to be working. The boring adults laughed a lot, too. Moving around the room was easy if you know how.<p>

The best part was that Danny seemed to be stuck in some conversation with Lex Luthor and some reporters. Serves him right. Laugh at her will he. Psh! No one is aloud to laugh at Danielle Masters! Karma would not allow it!

So, Dani made her way over the dessert table very carefully. Her goal: pumpkin pie. Mmmm pumpkin pie…. Focus, Danielle! Focus!

Unfortunately for Dani, her cover was broken. Unlike most guests, Vlad was very observant, especially when it involved his daughter. So spotting Danielle out of the crowd was not to difficult for Vlad. Especially considering the fact that Dani was, in fact, visible at the moment.

"Danielle! You must come over and meet some of my associates!" Vlad called to his adopted daughter.

'Drat, foiled again!' Dani cried mentally. The pie would have to wait for now.

"Oh hey, Dad. Didn't see you there…" Danielle pouted mentally. She didn't want to be bored again.

"Yes, it is quite hard to see through this crowd," Vlad was still painfully clueless about his daughter's disappointment. "But I'm glad you made it back her for this. Danielle, I would like you to meet some of the best business men in the world. Bruce Wayne and Oliver Queen."

Both men Vlad introduced were tall, well-built men wearing expensive suits. The former of the two had sleeked-back black hair and brown eyes. The later had short blond hair along with a beard and mustache and sharp blue eyes. Dani thought both of them were handsome, but that was not what struck her. What struck her were their names.

"Wait, you mean the Bruce Wayne and the Oliver Queen? You never told me that you know them!" Dani looked up to her father.

Vlad shrugged. "It never came up before."

Everyone in the world knew about these two billionaires. Bruce Wayne is a known playboy and eccentric spender. Most people assumed that it had to do with the loss of his two parents as a child. He saw them murdered in cold blood. When Dani looked into the man's eyes, she could see the same look that she saw in Danny's eyes everyday. The eyes of someone who is in constant emotional pain.

Oliver Queen also had a darker past. He was the sole survivor of a terrible boat crash. For many years, he was stranded on an island that many called hell on earth. He survived, that was for sure. But many questioned what that time as a survivor in solitude for so much time did to the man's mind. When Dani looked at this man's body language, she saw a hidden paranoia that came from being in constant danger for such a long period of time. It was hidden well, but Dani could see it. Just like she could see Danny's hidden paranoia of ghost attacks from time to time.

"So this is the famous Danielle Masters. Your father hasn't stopped talking about you since he got here, you know. Good to finally meet you, young lady." Bruce smiled down at the young girl.

"Oh, nice to meet you too, Mr. Wayne." Danielle smiled back.

"Hard to believe that you have such a cute daughter, Vlad. She must take after her mother." Oliver laughed. He seemed like the joking type. Dani liked him instantly.

"That's rude of you, Oliver. Ignoring a young girl like that." A voice said behind Oliver.

The person who was behind Oliver was a young man. He had short red hair and blue eyes. Unlike Oliver, this guy had a stance which said that he took everything a little too seriously. Maybe not in a bad way, but still…

"Oh, yeah, sorry about that Danielle. I get distracted sometimes." Oliver smiled apologetically.

The red haired boy snorted. "Sometimes? You once spent five minutes staring at a couple of squirrels. It's a wonder that Dinah hasn't dumped you to the curb, yet."

"Hey! Don't make me loose face here, Roy! Besides the squirrel's were fighting! Even Dinah thought they were funny!"

"Yeah, whatever…" The now identified Roy turned to Danielle. "My names Roy Harper, by the way. You'll have to forgive my friend. He has a tendicy to put his foot in his mouth, but he means well." He then reached out to shake her hand.

Dani was no longer bored. A handsome older guy was paying attention to her. As she shook the young man's hand, she said, "Y-yeah, don't worry about it. I have to live with Danny Fenton. He is the king of putting his foot in his mouth."

"That reminds me. Danielle, have you seen Daniel anywhere. I haven't seen him since the party began." Vlad asked his daughter.

"Weeellll, my name might not be Danielle, but I saw Danny Fenton having a friendly conversation with a reporter only a few minutes ago." The voice of Dick Grayson answered. Vlad's question.

As Dick walked over to them, Danielle smiled. She definitely wasn't bored anymore.

"A reporter? Daniel hates everything about the media. He would never talk to a reporter he didn't know." Vlad rubbed his chin.

"They did seem to know each other, though. Maybe she was an old friend of the family?" Dick reasoned.

"Hmm… perhaps…Anyway, how have you been, Richard. Bruce here told me how you won another award in gymnastics." Vlad questioned his younger associate.

"Fine, Mr. Masters. The award wasn't that hard to get actually. The competition sucked." Dick commented.

"Dick…" Bruce gave his adopted son a look.

"…Sorry, Bruce…I meant to say that they all did great and it was an honor to compete against them…happy?" Dick looked up at Bruce.

"Yes…yes I am." Bruce smiled.

As the adults and almost adult talked, Dani walked over to Dick and whispered, "Why did you disappear on us before?"

"Sorry, I didn't want to deal with Lex Luthor," Dick gave an apologetic smile.

"Why?" Dani was curious.

"...Weird family issuess...It's hard to explain." Dick rubbed the back of his neck.

Dani glanced over at her father, "I totally understand..."

The conversation continued for almost an hour. Each person spoke of his/her goals for the coming year. Most of the comments were simple and politically correct. None of them talked about their true goals for the coming year. To do so would be to reveal their deepest secrets to the other people in the group.

Partway through the conversation, there was announcement over the television above the bar that there was a fire raging in multiple buildings in the city. A few minutes later, Superman arrived and began to help the people exit the burning building. No one was really surprised by this, but several commented on it.

"Same as always…"

"As if there was any doubt…"

"That is awesome. Go Superman!"

"…the kryptonian…"

The comments soon died down, however, and people go on with their previous conversations. No like anything new was happening. Well… at least until…

A scream ran through the room as several gunshots sounded through the air. Everyone dropped to the ground. There were several thugs in ski masks holding automatic rifles. Fortunately, they only shot into the air. They were merely trying to gain the attention of everyone in the room, not kill anyone.

Not yet, anyway.

* * *

><p>Danny thought that he would regret giving Harriet an interview. Luckily he was wrong. During the entire interview, she was polite and civil with her questions. When Danny was either vague or refused to answer a question, Harriet did not press the issue. In all, it was a rather pleasant experience for someone who had a personal vendetta against the media and propaganda.<p>

"…I mean, I'm just fourteen. Vlad may have allowed me to be completely in charge of my family's estate, but that doesn't mean I'll do anything with it. For now, Fenton Works is completely shut down. I will not sell any type of ectoplasmic technology to anyone." Danny finished.

"What about the rumors that the Justice League has recruited your services in developing ghost fighting strategies?" Harriet asked.

"The only reason the Justice League ever contacted me was to ask me questions about the Nasty Burger Incident. I have in no way ever given the Justice League any ghost hunting equipment." Notice that he spoke for the whole League. The Batman was not the League, only a member.

"And I think that's all…Thank you Danny. This story can help me get my career up and kicking again." Harriet gave Danny a grateful smile.

"No problem. It was nice talk with a reporter that doesn't twist my words." Danny returned the smile.

"Heh… I bet…Woah, I just noticed. You got a lot taller than the last time I saw you." Harriet commented.

"I have?….. I have, haven't I?" It was true. Back during the reunion Harriet was almost a full head taller than Danny. Now, she was only taller by a couple of inches.

"Wow, I haven't noticed until now…" Danny was almost awed by the change. He had always been shorter that almost everyone else. Now he was probably as tall as Jazz was…

"Changes like that are usually noticed by people you haven't seen for a long time. It does make sense that you would grow so much taller in such a short amount of time. Both of your parents were very tall people. Especially your dad. What was he like six foot six inches?" Harriet asked.

"Closer to six foot seven really." Danny mumbled. He didn't like all the past references being use here.

"Yeah, and if your anything like him when your older, you'll probably have all the girls after you in college." Harriet stated.

"Huh? Dad was popular with the girls in college?" Danny could not picture that.

"Well, yeah. Not for his personality. He always had those…idiosyncrasies. But he was called 'The Giant' by every girl on campus." Harriet played with her pony tail for a moment.

"Girls liked him because he was tall?" Danny questioned.

"No…they liked him because he was…proportional with his tall height, large hands, and big feet." Harriet chuckled in remembrance.

"Huh…oh…OH!…oh dear God have mercy." Danny grimaced.

"Yeah, but that, along with their interest in ghosts and similar fashion senses, is what gained your mother's interest in your father in the first place." Harriet chuckled.

"I don't need to hear this…" Danny felt sick.

"Oh, there were so many different stories that she told me. Apparently, there were some places your father was competent in…" This comment was too much for the young Fenton.

"I think my ears are bleeding…" Danny almost whimpered.

"Oh, sorry about that. Got swept up my memories…" Harriet shrugged.

"Please, never talk about my parents like that ever again. No kid likes to hear about his parents…like that." Danny shivered.

Harriet just laughed. "Ok, kid, you got it. And don't worry about your interview. I'll make sure that it stays-" the familiar sound of gunfire rang through the air. On instinct, Danny grabbed Harriet and pulled her behind a pillar.

Even after the gunfire stopped, Danny didn't move. He did let go of Harriet, though. And she looked around the side of the pillar to take a look at the man or men that had the lethal weaponry.

"There seems to be eight guys out there…They're spread across the room…They all have assault rifles on them…Except for the guy in the middle…Wait that guy is Sportsmaster! What does he want at this party?" Harriet whispered.

Danny remained silent. He was thinking about what to do in this situation. Vlad had warned him that an appearance of Danny Phantom in Metropolis would be suspicious. Someone might make a connection between Fenton and Phantom. So going ghost was out of the question.

If they were here for money, than everything would be fine. These people could spare some wallets and watches. But if they were here to kill…then that would be a problem.

"Happy Holidays everyone! You might be wondering why we are here this evening. Don't worry, we are not here for your pathetic money. No, we are here for someone who has gained a great deal of interest from my employer. We are here for the kid known as Danny Fenton." Sportsmaster yelled out to the crowd.

Whispers and gasps went out through the crowd. Many were turning their heads looking for Danny. Maybe to keep him safe. Maybe to give him up. Danny wasn't sure.

Harriet turned and looked at Danny. "Why do they want you?"

"They don't. They want ectoplasmic weaponry…" Danny pulled out his phone and was ready to call the police when Sportsmaster spoke again.

"Also don't think about using any communication devices in here. We already set up several signal jammers in this building. There is no way to contact the outside world." Sportsmaster chuckled. "We also shut off all the alarm systems. And with Superman busy dealing with the fires…well, you're kind of stuck here, aren't ya…"

Danny's mind raced at a mile per minute. This was not good. No police. No security. No Superman. And especially, no Danny Phantom.

He could stall, but then they might take hostages and threaten to kill them if he doesn't come out. He could go with them, but there was still no promises that he would be found or that they would spare these people. Maybe some of the people have weapons…no there was a medal detector at the front door.

A lot of good that did for this situation…

'Looks like there is only one option…time for a test run for my new toy…' Danny pulled out a metal box about the size of a softball. Security had checked it, but the box itself was not dangerous. That and the whole "it is a memento of my family" made it easy to bring into the party.

"Harri." The woman turned to face him again. "I need you to stay here and don't move. No matter what happens. Do not move from this spot. Do you understand me?"

"Wha…What are you going to do? You can't give yourself up." Harriet whispered.

"I don't plan to…" Danny flowed his ectoplasm through the cube. Danny (with a little help from Vlad) designed the cube to open only when Danny's ectoplasm was used on it. Danny knew how the box worked, but to Harriet, the box just looked like it was glowing.

The box's top opened. Inside there seemed to be a bunch of toy miniature guns. But they weren't. The box was the evolved form of the Fenton Crammer. A potable Fenton Crammer weapon container.

Quickly Danny pulled out a weapon and closed the box. In a few seconds the weapon grew to full size. It appeared to be the Fenton Ghost Pealer, only slightly different. It curved pistol-like weapon was now slightly bigger. It had various glowing green crevasses that pulsed with ectoplasmic power. It was an improved version of Jazz's weapon of choice. It was the Fenton Ghost Pealer 2.0.

Harriet gasped as Danny pressed the red button and was covered in anti-ghost armor. "Wha…how…"

"**Stay down, Harriet**," Danny's voice now sounded computerized behind his helmet. "**I'll be back**,"

* * *

><p>Dani clung to her father. She was not afraid. She was a ghost for crying out loud! How could a regular gun possibly harm her?<p>

Unfortunately, she had to keep up appearances. To all of the guests, Dani was a small, defenseless ten-year old girl. That was the way her father wanted them to view her. So, to please her father and to keep her secret, Dani clung to her father and shivered in fake fear.

Vlad held his daughter behind him like a protective father. This, however, was not fake. Even if Danielle could toss fully grown men around like rag dolls, she was still his daughter. Thus he acted on instinct and kept her safe from the goons.

While this was completely unnecessary, Dani was overjoyed by this act.

"Bruce…What do we do?" Oliver asked Bruce Wayne.

"Nothing…There is nothing we can do right now." Bruce glanced around. He was looking for an exit or escape route. There were plenty, but they couldn't move. Two of the men were staring at their group.

"…Do you think that Danny kid is hidden well?" Roy asked Dick.

"Yeah, but that's not the problem. They'll take hostages soon." Dick narrowed his eyes.

"If they do that…then Danny will come out. He doesn't want anyone hurt because of him." Dani whispered to the other two minors.

Both of the boys remained silent after that. They were obviously frustrated, but there was nothing they could do that would not get people hurt.

"Well well well…Lookie what we've got here…Vladimir Masters…you're the one in charge of the brat we're looking for. I bet he'll come out for you…" The man pointed his gun at Vlad. "Go to the center of the room, old man. You are now officially the bait."

Vlad had no reaction on his face. He calmly pealed Dani's hands of his leg, lifted his hands above his head, and began to walk forward. The other men watched the man with respect in their eyes. It takes a real man to remain that calm at gun point.

"No!" Dani went to grab her father's leg. He might be able to turn intangible too, but he wouldn't. He would rather take a bullet than expose himself and by extension his daughter to the world and their prejudice.

"Oh! That's right, you have a daughter now…Looks like I found some better bait." The goon chuckled darkly.

"Wait, she's just a little girl. Don't-" Vlad was silenced when the but of the gun smashed into Vlad's face.

"Be quite old man. Get over here girlie…" The man grabbed the girl by her arm.

Everyone of the other men looked like they wanted to stop him. The looks on their faces were ones of pure rage, but they knew better to interfere. If they did, one of them would get shot, the crowd would panic, and the rest of the goons would fire into the crowd. It would be a massacre.

So Dani did not blame them for merely grounding their teeth in anger.

As she was dragged to the middle of the floor, every pair of eyes in the room turned their heads to look at her. Many of the people gasped in horror. Sportsmaster also turned to face her. He did not seemed confused, though (Not that you could tell with his hockey mask on). His eyes gleamed in amusement, though.

"Danielle Masters…this will help speed things up." He took her arm from the goon and yelled out to the crowd. "Mr. Fenton, I know your out there! If you want your little friend free of bullet holes, I suggest you come out now!"

Sportsmaster gestured to one of the men and was handed a pistol by the goon. "It's your choice kid!…" He waited a few moments then yelled, "Okay, this one's on you, kid."

He pointed the pistol at the girl. He was just about to fire when he felt someone tap on his right shoulder, the arm holding the pistol. His first stop was that one of his men was gesturing because the Fenton kid had revealed himself. When he turned, however there was nothing there.

"What the he-" Sportsmaster was cut off when an invisible for hit him on his masked face. Normally, his mask would protect him from most combative injuries. This punch however made him let go of both Danielle and the pistol.

Dani saw the pistol fall to the crowd. For a moment, she was worried that the gun would go off and hurt someone. Before it could, however, a green blast came out of nowhere and shattered the pistol.

The other enemies in the room immediately opened fire to the invisible enemy. As they did so, Dani felt herself being pulled into what felt like a metal body. Dani had to fight her instinct to turn intangible and just prayed that she didn't get shot.

Luckily, she didn't. A purple field surrounded Dani in a two meter radius. As the bullets came close to her, they passed through the purple field and then fell to the ground harmlessly.

After a second, person…thing… holding her became visible. As Dani looked up, she was instantly relieved. The person holding her was in white armor with green pulsing crevasses. The armor seemed to cover every portion of the person's body tightly to completely protect this person. The hands of the armor seemed to be gauntlets. They right gauntlet held what appeared to be a futuristic curved pistol. The other gauntlet held Danielle close to the person.

What really assured Dani of her safety was the helmet. The helmet completely covered the person's head. It had a black tinted glass-like face shield. Most importantly, on the forehead of the helmet was a green F surrounded by green flowing energy. The Fenton symbol. It was Danny…

'Thank God.' Dani thought.

Danny pointed his gun to one of the men. It took only one blast for the man to fall. Just as quickly the next man fell.

In the span of a few seconds, all of the men except for one were down on the ground groaning in pain. As Danny turned to the last man a click noise sounded. The man was out of bullets.

"**Looks like you wasted all your ammo**," Danny commented,

"Screw you!" The man dropped the gun and pulled out a machete.

"**Really? That's your plan B? That's just sad, dude**." Danny mocked.

"I-I'll stab one of the guests!" The man was shivering.

"**I'll shoot you before you get close**," Danny stated. "**I'll tell you what. If you drop the knife and curl up on the ground like a baby, then I won't shoot you, okay?**"

The man looked at the knife then back at Danny. Slowly the man put his machete on the ground and then curled up into a ball.

"**Good scumbag.**" Danny got one more comment in. He let go of Danielle and deactivated the Fenton Peeler. In merely a second, the armor retreated back into the weapon.

"Are you okay, Dani?" Danny asked.

"I am now."

* * *

><p>(Friday-December 31, 2009)<p>

The night was cold, especially on top of Fenton Works. It didn't bother Danny though in his ghost form, the cold would never hurt him. Below Danny, the sounds of celebration rang through the air. The New Year was approaching.

"Danny what are you doing over here? You're going to miss the ball drop!" Dani exclaimed.

Danny smiled at his younger clone. "Sorry Dani, I don't really want to celebrate the New Year."

Klemper's voice sounded beside Danielle, "Oh Pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaasssss sssssseeeeeeeeeee, Danny. It will be fun to celebrate the New Year with all my friends!"

Because of his…unusual appearance, Klemper was usually in disguise while in public. Both Danny and Vlad worked together to make a disguise ring. While wearing the ring, Klemper appeared as an eleven year old blond child with pale skin. He lacked the hunch, freckles, and large teeth. In all, he appeared completely ordinary.

"I am sorry, Klemper, but I…I'm just not in a good mood, okay? Just go ahead and have a good time." Danny reassured.

"…Okay, Danny. Come on Klemper! Let's go check out the party down the street!" Danielle yelled as they flew off. They probably had to find a place to either change/disguise themselves.

Danny sighed. He really was trying not to take his bad mood out on them. It had been a hectic time since the holiday party.

After he saved Danielle, Danny had received a lot of publicity. There were questions on his weaponry. How did he make it? Were the weapons only meant to stun like they did to the goons? What were the limits of it? Were they for sale?

It was chaos. Only Harriet's newspaper, the Milwaukee Journal got all the details right. Everyone else escalated it to gigantic proportions.

Of course, many were just grateful for his interference. Many thanked him personally. In fact, Superman came up to him and shook his hand. He said that he was glad that he kept the would-be-kidnappers alive. It was an epic moment.

Merry Christmas to Danny.

That did not make up for all the crap Danny had to deal with. Multiple contractors had contacted him several times a day. Everyone seemed to want his weapons and technology. Star Labs. Wayne Tech. Lexcorp. And many other groups.

It was frustrating. No matter how many times Danny said no, they would keep asking. Apparently no wasn't an answer they would take.

Despite everything, though, Danny was just glad that everyone was safe. It was a dangerous situation and it was a miracle that no one was injured. But…It turned out that the Sportsmaster guy disappeared. It made Danny's blood boil. He should have just shot the guy, but nooooo he had to punch him because he made it personal by taking Dani…..

The only good part of the holidays so far was the Christmas truce. Every ghost agreed that there would be no fighting during Christmas. It was a time of peace that even the dead respected.

It was rather unusual to relax with your worst enemies, though. Skulker joked with him. The Lunch Lady fed him turkey. Some ghost called the Ghost Writer read his Christmas poem to everyone. The Box Ghost even gave him a present…a box….yeah, didn't see that coming at all. In all it was the most peaceful Christmas Danny ever had…and he hated it.

Every other Christmas he ever had was loud. His parents yelling and arguing. The Christmas music blaring. Jazz singing Christmas carols. A year ago, he wished that it would all stop. He wanted a normal peaceful Christmas. Well, he got it. It only cost everything he held dear.

So while this Christmas was the most peaceful, it was also the most painful. He hid it well, of course, but…the grief, the stress, and the anger was slowly getting to him. One day Danny would snap. There was no if only when.

Danny will eventually destroy himself with his own emotions. His ice powers would only postpone the inevitable. That was why he was preparing for it. He had Dani, Vlad, Batman, and possibly Klemper (to stop his ice powers at least) to stop him when he cracked.

Heh, if karma had anything to do with it, he would lose control on December 21, 2012.

It made Danny wonder why Clockwork kept him alive. Danny was born weak. Almost a month premature, weak immune system, barely able to cry, the doctor said that he only lived by a miracle.

All his life, Danny had been the small guy. He was always the guy picked on. He always cried when the times got ruff. Both mentally and physically, Danny was weak.

Until he got his powers. When Danny became a half-ghost, he finally had power. Power to make a difference. Power to protect. Power to destroy.

The only thing that kept him from getting revenge was his loved ones. They anchored him. They were his conscience. They were his **obsession**.

And now they were gone. Clockwork had to know that without them Danny would eventually Even if Danny fought tooth and nail against becoming **him**. Even if he had a new family to help him.

"…" Danny stood up and transformed into his human form. He looked down. Down to the earth way below the top of Fenton works. A fall from this height would surely kill him.

Once again a wave of pain coursed through Danny's soul. It was agonizing. What he wouldn't give for it to end. For the pain to be gone forever…

They would not want him to think about this. About ending it all. They would want him to be strong…but he is so weak.

It would be so easy. One step and Dark Dan would be gone forever. One step and his pain would finally fade. One step and the world was safe from ectoplasmic weaponry.

But Danny couldn't do it. He may be weak, but he would not allow himself to die like this. His pain would not go away so easily. So with a sigh, Danny changed back and floated down to an alleyway to transform into a human safely.

'Might as well watch the ball drop,' Danny thought as he pulled his hood up and began to walk to the nearest party.

The sounds of laughter and joy met Danny's ear as he walked into the front door. No one took notice of Danny as he hid in a corner to watch the ball drop. Even when surrounded by so many people he felt all alone.

Of course, this was the moment his ghost sense had to go off. Danny instantly went on guard. He was ready for anything.

"Oh calm down, Baby pop. I'm not here to fight." Ember said as she lead against the wall next to him.

"Ember…" Danny acknowledged. She obviously didn't want to fight. If she did, she would have attacked by now.

"I'm hurt. That's all I get? That's not the way to great a lady. You'll never get a girl with those manners, Dipstick." Ember mocked.

Danny snorted, "I'll keep that in mind…What do you want, Ember?"

"I'm bored. I broke up with my boyfriend and don't have anyone interesting to talk to. You've always been easy to rile up, so I thought, 'Hey, why don't I annoy Danny?' And so, I'm here." Ember smirked at him.

"I'm not in any type of good mood Ember. Go away." Danny mumbled.

"Pshh! Why would I listen to you?" Ember questioned.

"Because I'm not afraid to hit a girl." Danny's eyes glowed green for a second.

"Oooooooooooo, scary!" Ember stuck her tongue out at him.

They were quite for a few minutes. They just leaned against the wall and waited for the year to end. Both were too stubborn to leave and didn't really have a place to go.

"…So, why did you break up with your boyfriend?" Danny asked.

"Why do you care?" Ember returned.

"You brought it up." Danny nonchalantly spoke.

"Hmmm, well…I guess he didn't give me enough attention. He's a workaholic. You should know. He tries to hunt you every week." Ember looked at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Skulker? Why would you date Skulker?" Danny was confused.

"Meh, he asked and I had no reason to say no." Ember looked at her nails

"That's it?" Danny could not believe it was that easy.

"That's it." Ember confirmed.

"…Didn't the size difference…affect anything?" That was the big question.

"…we improvised…" Ember mumbled.

Danny just laughed.

"Okay, what about you, Babypop? You've got a girl or you all by your lonesome this New Year?" Ember asked.

Danny snorted. "Yeah right only ever really dated two girls. One overshadowed a human girl and was trying make her boyfriend jealous." Danny rubbed his eyes.

"Kitty…" Ember mumbled.

"Yep, and the other only liked my human half. She hated Phantom, so that didn't work out." Danny sighed in remembrance.

"What about the goth chick?" Ember questioned.

Danny's eyes flashed at her in angry. "You don't get to mention her."

"…Sorry…" She mumbled.

"…To answer your question, No, we never dated." Danny murmured.

"Awe, too bad, you made a cute couple." Ember smirked.

"….." Danny remained silent.

"So we both are dateless on New Year. Pretty sad right?" Ember chuckled.

"I'm used to it. No girl wants to date the poor scrawny kid with a weird family." Danny grimaced at all the rejections he remembered.

"Well…you're not poor anymore…and you're not scrawny either…You've been working out?" Ember looked him up and down.

"Yeah…been weight lifting…" Danny figited.

"Hmm. It's noticeable." Ember chuckled.

"Look everyone! The ball's dropping!" Everyone turned to television. It was true. Danny didn't realize how close it was to midnight. As the ball fell, everyone began counting.

_10_

"Hey, Danny?"

_9_

"Yeah?"

_8_

"Got a proposition for ya."

_7_

"Do you now?"

_6_

"Yeah, were both alone tonight, right?"

_5_

"Yep"

_4_

"Then no one would object."

_3_

"Object to what?"

_2_

"To us keeping up the tradition."

_1_

"Huh?" Danny asked as Ember grabbed him by the back of his head and pulled him into a kiss.

_Happy New Year!_

As soon as their lips touched, a spark went off. Fire met ice. Hot met cold. Steam was created.

Danny had kissed girls before. Those were some of his fondest memories, but this kiss was different. This kiss was one that burned him. It sent waves of heat down his spine. Each moment was a raging inferno. It opposite of his very nature. His body was of coldness and ice. Now it was full of burning passion and pleasure.

Ember had very few experiences with men. She had died before she even kissed a boy. And Skulker, while a very passionate and powerful man, was not normal anatomy-wise. But even without much experience, she could tell that this was different. Waves of freezing surges made her body shiver. Her toes and fingers tingled and curled in cool pleasure. She moaned as her flames turned cold. The coldness felt like a cool wind on a hot summer day.

The kiss lasted for a few moments. They parted for a brief second, then they kissed again. A third kissed followed. After that was the forth, fifth, sixth, seventh…

The kisses became a full blown make out session. Neither of the two noticed as the other partiers celebrated the New Year. To them, they were the only people in the room.

Danny shivered as he felt Ember's tongue licked his lower lip. He gasped and that was all Ember needed. Her tongue met his and the sensations doubled. For several minutes, they continued to explore each other's mouths. Neither wanted the sensations to end, but unfortunately one of the participants was human and thus needed air.

Danny gasped as he pulled away. He was completely out of breath. His lungs burned from their lack of oxygen. His breaths came out in short pants. Despite this, he couldn't bring himself to care though.

"pant…I…pant…you…pant…holy crap…" Danny barely got that out.

"Yeah…same for me…" Ember murmured. Because she was a ghost, the whole breathing thing was not that big of a problem for her.

They stood there for a minute. One trying to catch his breath. The other was merely in a daze. When both regained their bearings, they instantly wanted to kiss again. Their raging hormones demanded that they not only continue, but also go farther. For a good, long while, both participants thought about continuing. Soon, however, reason caught up to them.

"Umm…I should probably go get Randi-I mean Dani. Make sure she's all right or something." Danny finally said.

"Yeah, and I need to… go tune my guitar…and take a very cold shower." Ember mumbled the last part.

They both walked out of the party in a daze. When they reached the sidewalk, both of them turned to each other. Both of them opened and closed their mouths several times. Each had the same question they want to ask, but neither knew how to ask it.

Finally Danny spoke, "…So…yeah…we should…I don't know…hang out some time…maybe?"

Ember nodded her head. "Yeah…we should do that…sometime…Happy New Year, Danny."

Danny smiled, "Happy New Year, Ember."

Ember smiled and turned to leave. As she walked, Danny's eyes went a little lower than they should. His eyes were clued to her until she turned around, smirked seductively, and disappeared around a corner.

"Damn…how did I never notice…in those leather pants, too…." Danny turned and began to the place where Danielle said she would be.

For the first time in two months, Danny's mind was on something other than the Nasty Burger Incident. He had momentarily forgotten about the grief, the weapons, the stress, and even the incident at Fenton Works that happened only half an hour ago. After all, what was more distracting to a teenage guy than a girl.

As Danny walked, he never thought of the significance of the New Year. 2009 was the year he got his ghost powers. 2009 was the year he learned how to fight. 2009 was the year he lost everyone he loved. And now, the year was over.

The year 2010 was finally hear. It would be filled with trials, joy, fights, and situations Danny never thought possible. 2010 would be the year that Danny would shape his destiny.

Ready or not, here it comes.

* * *

><p><strong>So on December 21, 2012...I had to notice that the world didn't end...All I have to say is that I called it.<strong>

**Have a happy New Year everyone. Thank you all for reading and remember to...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	6. Colossus

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Any coward can fight a battle when he's sure of  
>winning; but give me the man who has pluck to fight when he's sure of<br>losing." Geroge Eliot

* * *

><p>Chapter 6: "Colossus"<p>

(Friday-January 15, 2010)

"Okay…Let me get this straight…You… the Guys in White…want to buy Fenton Works?" Danny's eyebrows could not rise any higher.

"That is correct." GIW #1 nodded.

This unpleasant meeting had come without warning. Danny had actually been studying at the time. Vlad had hired some of the best tutors in the world to help Danny. They were all terribly strict, but it was still better than high school.

Imagine Danny's surprise when the GIW came rushing into the room guns at the ready. At first, Danny thought they figured out his secret, but he soon learned that was not the case. Apparently, they only did that out of habit and wanted to talk to Danny…alone…in the living room…Yeah, that didn't sound good.

"…Didn't you guys, like, mock my parents constantly until, and probably after, their death." Danny mumbled the 'and probably after' part to himself.

"…We have recently decided that your parents work was…ingenious." GIW #2 looked pained to say that last word.

"Alright, Mr…Okay what are your names, anyway?" Danny wasn't sure what to call them. GIW #1 and #2 wouldn't work…well it would in Danny's mind, but Danny doubted that it would work as well out loud.

"You can call me, Agent K," GIW #1 said. He was an African-American man with a shaved head. Like all GIW, he wore a white suit, black tie, and dark sunglasses.

"You can call me, Agent O," GIW #2 spoke. He was a Caucasian man and also wore the GIW uniform.

"Riiiggghhhttt…Okay, Agent K and Agent O, what in God's green earth gave you even the passing thought that I would sell you Fenton Works?" Danny asked angrily.

"We thought the check would be a large factor." Agent K scratched the top of his head.

"You do realize that Vlad is one of the richest people in the world? It's not like I'm in that great of financial need." Danny pointed out the obvious.

"But none of it is your own money." Agent O retorted.

That was actually a good point. Danny actually had no money himself. It was all Vlad. The very generous check that the GIW were offering was very appealing. **Very** appealing. Having his own money would help Danny in the future, for sure. The cost of selling Fenton Works was far to high, though. So, no money for Danny.

"You have a point Agent O,but I don't see the need of having my own fortune packed away. I don't think he will just cut me off any time soon. Well, as long as I don't do something too stupid. So, I do not see the need to sell Fenton Works to you, or anyone else really." Danny gave them a small glare.

"And that's your final answer?" Agent K asked.

"Yes…yes it is," Danny nodded his head.

"Well, that's to bad. We had hoped that this might end in a civil way, but you have forced our hand." Agent O frowned and gained a threatening look.

"How so?" Danny was quite curious.

"If you refuse to sell Fenton works then we will have to take it by force, Mr. Fenton," Agent O crossed his arms and glared down at the young man.

"And how will you do that, Agent O?" Danny fought hard to laugh at them. They were no where near threatening.

"By arresting you, Mr. Fenton," Agent K smirked.

"Arrest me? On what charges?" Danny was in disbelief. Did they think that would actually work?

"Well, lets see…" Agent K pulled out a notebook. Apparently, they came prepared for this scenario. "Illegally carrying and concealing a firearm, possession of dangerous radioactive equipment, intentionally putting other people in danger, terrorist activity (terrorist activity?! What the hell?!), consorting with ghosts, and purposely interfering with a government investigation."

"What the crap?! I haven't done any of those things!" Danny rose from his seat.

"Really? Did you not carry and use an ectoplasmic weapon that you invented yourself to Mr. Luthor's holiday party?" Agent O smirked.

"…Yeah…" Danny acknowledged.

"That counts as concealing an ecto-weapon, which uses a form of unknown radiation and is very dangerous when used near civilians. A few calls and I'm sure a few people would be will to press charges for you putting so many lives on the line by using an unregistered weapon." Agent K smiled triumphantly.

"Hehe…You're spouting out a bunch of bull. You and I both know that the Anti-ghost Act has given a lot of leeway to anything that can be used to defend against ghosts. And considering that I saved a bunch of people and all of those thugs are still alive, there is no way any charge you make against me concerning the Fenton Pealer 2.0 would stick." Danny was really glad that Vlad made him read through all the ghost related laws for his government study.

"There is still the charges of terrorism, consorting with ghosts, and purposely interfering with a government investigation!" Agent O shouted. It was obvious that they were getting frustrated with this whole scenario.

"Okay, enough of this!" The door slammed open and Vlad walked in. Danny could easily see that he had lost his temper. His eyebrows arched down. His lips formed a snarl. His eyes shone with anger and disdain. The Vlad who patient and slow to enrage was gone. In his place was an enraged powerful billionaire half-ghost and he was looking for blood.

Danny was so glad it was not his blood Vlad was looking for.

"Mr. Masters we informed you that we needed to talk to Mr. Fenton alone. We do not appreciate your eavesdropping and your interruption." Agent O reminded Vlad.

Danny wondered if they were actually stupid enough to anger Vlad even more.

"Eavesdropping? Eavesdropping!? You arrogant fool! You dare say that to me in my own home?! I only agreed to your terms because Daniel said he could handle this himself, but your recent accusations are unacceptable. You are making false accusations against a person who is under my protection. I will not allow this." Vlad looked absolutely murderous.

"The charges are completely viable, Mr. Masters. Mr. Fenton's family-" Agent K was cut off.

"Daniel's family?! You are actually bringing Daniel's family into this?!" Vlad was now turning red.

'Oh crap! They actually are that stupid.' Danny grimaced. A calm Vlad was danger. An angry Vlad would destroy his obstacles without remorse.

"You are charging Daniel on false claims you made up against his family? Are you serious or are you that stupid?" Vlad glared at the two agents as he voiced Danny's thoughts. His glare caused the two men to take a step back.

"Mr. Masters, we do not appreciate-" Once again Agent K was cut of.

"Personally, I don't care what you appreciate. I'm rather tired of all the unwanted guests that having been barging into my home as of late." Danny really hoped he wasn't talking about Klemper. The blond ice ghost had been over a lot lately.

"So, I'll keep this as simple as possible. I'm sure you have plenty of charges that you would like to accuse Daniel of. All of the are completely false, otherwise you would have just arrested him to begin with instead of trying to negotiate with Daniel about Fenton Works.

"Thus, this is what will happen if you arrest him. As soon as you walk out that door, I will call everyone of my very expensive and very good lawyers who will storm your office with a vengeance. They will advice Daniel to not say a word and will shut down your case completely in a matter of hours, in the worst case scenario of course of course.

"Then, they will look into why an innocent youth, a tragic survivor at that, was persecuted and apprehended by the government for no reason. After that, the media will be informed of what happened and you will have enough bad publicity on your hands that the government, maybe even the President himself, will be looking into the Guys in White program.

"They will search your exploits very carefully, and they will find all the dark secrets you have hidden. I'm sure they're very bad, too. And faster than you can say sugar cookies, you two will be jobless, whether by the GIW using you as a scapegoat or the entire program being shut down.

"In the end, the only thing you will be hurting is yourselves. So, I will ask you this. Are going to arrest Daniel, or are you going to leave quietly?" The smile Vlad wore looked positively evil.

Both of the GIW agents were now very pale. They seemed to understand the situation very well.

After a quick glance to Agent K, Agent O said, "W-we un-understand p-perfect-ly, Mr. Masters."

"Very good," Vlad turned to his young charge who was looking at him in awe.

"I believe this meeting is over." Vlad nodded Danny and began to walk to the door he originally entered from.

"Actually, there is one more thing I'd like to say." Danny spoke more to his mentor than to the two government agents.

Vlad turned and gave Danny a curious look, but said nothing. The GIW were still trying to regain their composure, so they remained silent also.

"Vlad had all my parent's financial files transferred to me a few weeks ago. So, I know almost everything they sold to you. There are a few…classified things that were left out however.

"From what I understand, you have enough ecto-weapons to last you…ten years at least. So, you don't need my help with that department. Yet you still threatened me to get Fenton Works. Why would you do that?" Danny asked.

He didn't give them a chance to answer. "Now, I am not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I can see what you want. You want to destroy all ghosts. That is pretty obvious. But to do that you will need more than that, you will need a way to get to them. A Ghost Portal. Or more specifically, the only Ghost Portal (besides Vlad's, but they didn't know that) in existence.

"Now that obtaining mine is no longer an option, you probably will try to make one of your own. Good luck with that, by the way, my parents spent years trying to make one. You might get one to work, however, not that it will last long." Danny mumbled that last part.

"If you do, you will most likely do something stupidly easy like trying to destroy the entire Ghost Zone. Now I want you to listen carefully. The Ghost Zone is a world…universe…whatever, that is connected directly to the human world. If one goes, the other goes as well.

"So, you can understand why you should not do something moronic like…blowing up the Ghost Zone's core with a nuke or something. Because that would be something that even Jack Fenton had enough sense not to do. And if you try to do something like that, then well, you have less common sense than Jack Fenton did." Danny gave them a sharp look.

They shared another look. "Why should we believe you? You might be trying to protect the ghosts." Agent O pointed out.

"Why would I want to do that? I was raised to hate ghosts and they killed my friends and family." Danny gained a look of hatred. It wasn't really directed at ghost in general, but more as to one ghost. To **him**.

After one more look, Agent K said, " We will take that into consideration."

"Good," Danny smiled triumphantly. He and Vlad then escorted the two agents to the door.

"Wait, before we go," Agent O looked back at Danny. "When we mentioned consorting with ghosts, we were talking about Danny Phantom. He has been known to show up at your old school and the old Nasty Burger."

"There have been a lot of ghost attacks around there." Danny pointed out the obvious.

"True, but it is also where you used to spend a lot of time. It is only a suspicion, but we believe that there is a connection between one of the children and Phantom." Agent K adjusted his glasses. "If we find out its true and it turns out to be you…then there will be consequences and not even Mr. Masters can help you."

"Well, then it's a good thing that I have no connection to Phantom." Danny rolled his eyes, but inside he was a little worried.

"Good, because we will be watching you, Mr. Fenton. Be careful not to step out of line." Agent O smirked down at the teenager.

"Don't worry about me. I'll be here and if you ever need to contact me, don't."

* * *

><p>Dani sighed in relief as she walked into the door of her home. It had been a long day at school. She didn't expect school to be great or anything, but it just so boring.<p>

Even worse, all the kids there were really nice to her. Not good friends nice, mind you, it was more like sucking up. They were all being sweet and kind because she was rich.

They all wanted to be her friend because she was very wealthy and thus popular. Dani could care less about that though. Popularity bored her. It was not fun. It meant that you had to be _normal_, and _normal_ was very boring.

She ignored the suck ups for the most part, but they were persistent. Really, all she wanted was a friend who didn't care about her money, father, or family name. She hoped that she would find one soon.

Until then, she would just suck it up and endure the boring school day.

"Cujo! I'm home!…" Huh? Usually the puppy came running. Where was he?

"Cujo!…Dad!" Dani called out.

"Neither of them are here." Danny's voice sounded from the living room.

"Where are they?" Dani entered the living room to find Danny in ghost form studying reading…weird. At this time, Danny would usually be done with all of his studying.

"Vlad went out on a business meeting or something. Cujo had to go out earlier because we had… guests." Danny stated.

'Oh, that's why he's still working on his school work. He didn't get a chance to do it earlier' Dani thought.

"Cujo might be back, though. He could be upstairs with Klemper and the other me." Danny finished his explanation and went back to his work.

"You're a duplicate?" Dani was surprised.

"Yep. The real me's got three of us duplicates in the house right now. I'm studying. One's in the basement working on a new project. One is doing fighting drills. And the real me is upstairs with Klemper playing Call of Duty…jerk, he sticks me with the work…" The Danny duplicate mumbled the last part.

"Is that why you are in ghost form?" Dani asked.

"Yeah, we…I…can't do duplicates and be in human form. But we're home and we…I…whatever needs to get this work done. I hate studying literature." Danny groaned.

"Oh, that's right. Danny remembers everything you duplicates do, right?" Dani questioned.

"Yeah, but it really drains and weakens him…us…you know what I mean. So, just doing this is actually building stamina." Danny confirmed.

"Wow…when do I get to make duplicates?" Dani already knew the answer.

"When you're older." Danny said instinctively.

"That's what you and Dad say all the time…" Dani pouted.

"For good reason." The duplicate turned back to his book.

"Hrumph! Fine! I'll go see the real you and Klemper. Maybe they won't be mean." Dani went ghost and floated to the ceiling.

"You do realize that the real Danny and I are exactly the same." The Danny duplicate rolled his eyes.

"Silence! I kill you!" Dani shouted as she passed through the ceiling.

"I'm a duplicate. You can't really kill me," the duplicate mumbled.

Dani floated through the hall to get to Danny's door. In most cases, she would just faze into a room, but there were a few unspoken rules in the manor. One very important one was to never faze into anyone's bedrooms or the bathrooms without checking in first. This was for very obvious reasons.

When she got to Danny's room she knocked, "Hey Danny! Can I come in?"

"Sure," Danny voice sounded out.

As she fazed into the room, Dani took in her bother's room. Danny's room was rather well kept for a teenage boy's bedroom. There was no clothing on the dark carpet covered floor. The king sized bed on the right side of the room was made but had a few ruffles in it. The walls were lined with space, band, and superhero posters. In the corner, Danny's desk and his computer had several empty pop cans off to the side.

On the left side of the room was a large entertainment center. A wide screen television with surrounding speakers was hung up on the wall. An X-Box 360 and several games were on the shelf under it. A long circular couch curved around the entertainment center. Danny and Klemper were sitting on said couch and were in the middle of a Call of Duty match.

It was actually one of the smaller rooms in the manor, but it was still bigger than most apartments. Danny had said that he already had more room than he knew what to do with and that any larger room would look almost empty.

"Hey Dani! Danny and I are playing a game! Do you want to play?" Klemper shouted at the girl as he focused on the screen.

"No, not right now…" Dani took this moment of distraction to observe the two.

Over the past two months, Klemper had changed dramatically. The ice ghost's original problem was that his clingy personality drove everyone away. After Dani and her brother put in the effort, Klemper had evolved. He was less loud and took the whining sound out of his voice. He no longer hunched over and now could stand with confidence. His more predominate physical features actually seemed like they were fading, too.

Dani wondered if the characteristic of a ghosts personality and appearance had any connections. It was entirely possible. Ghosts drew their power from raw emotions. Maybe there appearance had something to do with it, too.

With the negative side of Klemper becoming less…obvious, the positives began to shine. Dani had quickly realized how kind and gentle the blond ghost was. He cared so much about the world around him. Even if the world seemed to despise him.

Klemper was also extremely loyal. For a long time, he was completely focused on gaining a friend. Now, all he cared about was keeping the ones he had. At first, he came off as needy, but slowly he became more and more of a good friend. Dani didn't doubt that Klemper would gladly walk into the fires of hell to help a friend.

"Throw a grenade!" Danny's shout to Klemper drew Dani's attention to him.

Physically, Danny had changed a lot since Dani first woke up from her pod. He was now taller and buffer, a result of the constant training and fighting he had done the past few months. His normal clothes had become to tight, so Vlad had bought him a new, wardrobe. He now several darker shirts and black hoodies. Dani had asked him if he was going Goth, but Danny just walked away.

Also, Danny's dark hair had grown longer than he had ever let grow before. Dani could no longer see Danny's ears or the black of his neck. Danny's bangs were usually very long and wild, and now that was especially true. Dani could barely see Danny's eyes most of the time.

'I wonder if he did that on purpose?' Dani question in her mind.

She had noticed several times the pained look Danny gained in his eyes at odd times. It only lasted for a moment. In that moment, Dani could see a pain in Danny's eyes that her young mind could not understand, then there was coldness. Danny's eyes would turn dead…no pun intended.

It frightened Dani.

Dani knew about the "incident." How could she not? It was all over the news. She knew about Danny's life before he lived with her and Vlad, but she didn't really like to think about it. She didn't like thinking about her brother not being her brother.

It may be selfish, but…Danny belonged to her. He was her brother. It hurt her to think about Danny belonging to another family. Because if he still had his family, would he still love her?

Dani hoped so.

"You okay, Dani? You kind of spaced out…" Danny looked at his clone. Their match seemed to have ended and now both boys were looking at the young halfa.

"Oh…yeah, I was just thinking about school." Dani flopped down on the couch.

"Did you have fun today?" Klemper question.

"Psh! No, it was boring as crap!" Dani complained.

Danny snorted, "I told you so. But you said I was being a kill joy. You want to know what the real kill joy is?"

"School?" Dani mumbled.

"School." Danny nodded.

"Well, at least you don't have to go to it." Dani pointed out.

"…."Danny said nothing.

"Hey? Is Cujo around here?" Dani looked around the room.

"He was with me earlier," Klemper stated, "We had to leave when the Guys in White showed up, but he went off on his own, so…"

"The GIW were hear!?" Dani shouted in surprise.

"Sigh…Yes, they were here. They wanted to buy Fenton Works." Danny rubbed his temples.

"You said no, right?" Dani asked.

"Of course…but they were persistent, I'm glad Vlad helped me out." Danny stood and walked over to the computer.

"What did Dad do?" Dani was curious.

"He owned them," Danny smirked as he looked at his computer.

"…can a parent really own someone?" Dani thought out loud.

"Sure, I know for a-" Danny paused as he suddenly went human and collapsed.

"Danny!" Klemper and Dani yelled as they rushed to the fallen halfa.

"What happened!? Are you okay?!" Klemper asked as he helped his friend up.

"Yeah…I'm just…out of energy…the duplicates…drained me…they disappeared…when I… ran out of…energy" Danny struggled to get out his sentence.

"You're really pale. You need to lie down." Dani tried to get Danny to his bed, but he resisted.

"No…not right now…need to go to lab…now!" Danny hissed.

"But-" "No buts, Klemper….my duplicate was…working on…something…I need to be there…" Danny gave the blond ghost a hard look, but it was really weak.

"…Okay, Danny. But after that, you need some rest." Dani compromised.

"…Lab…food…then rest…" Danny mumbled.

"Agreed." Dani nodded to Klemper and Danny.

The three ghosts quickly fazed to the basement lab. The lab had hardly changed over the past few months. The only difference was the now working ghost portal and the messy work station at the side.

"The work station…" Danny said weakly.

"Okay," Klemper helped (basically dragged) Danny over to the work station.

"Thanks…" Danny mumbled as he used the table to help him stand.

"What were you…the duplicate working one?" Dani raised an eyebrow.

"When…I run out of energy…I turn back into a human…I wanted…to make a disguise devise…to make sure…no one would see…Phantom become Fenton." Danny sat in the chair at the station and picked up what looked like belt. He inspected it.

"Is it okay?" Klemper asked.

"Yeah…my duplicate nearly finished the first adjustments… but he didn't close the energy core…I just had to make sure that it wasn't damaged…" Danny looked at the belt. "Dani, could you go to the…the tackle box under the table…Inside are some emergency water and energy bars…I need some…"

"Sure," Dani got the box and brought it to Danny.

Danny closed the belt's energy core and placed it on the table. "Thanks." Danny said to his clone as he took an energy bar and water bottle from the box.

"Why did you make a belt instead of a ring?" Klemper asked.

Danny finished a bite of the bar and took a huge gulp of water then answered the ghost. "Your ring is meant to be discreet. Because of that, it is somewhat easy to break. I will only use mine during battle. This belt will be a lot tougher, when it is ready, so it will not break."

"It's not ready?" Dani questioned.

"No, it still needs to be completed and tested. I won't take it to the field without being sure that it will work…" Danny finished his bar and stood up. He was a little shaky, but he could stand.

"Does it work like that Specter Deflector thing?" Klemper examined the belt.

"Very close. When I activate it, it will take a minute to set up the disguise. But it does not protect me from ectoplasmic energy. It is mostly just to make sure, my identity remains secret. As I said, though, it is no where near ready and I still need Vlad's help in setting up the last adjustments, but it will be ready by the time I have a hard fight… Hopefully." Danny smiled shakily.

"Alright, you've checked on your thingy. Now you have to get some rest." Dani glared up at her older brother.

For a moment, Danny marveled at the glare. It was one that he had seen multiple in his childhood. It was Sam's glare.

Any argument died in Danny's now very dry throat before it could even be formed. "Okay…I-I'll need some help getting to my room.

* * *

><p>Amity Park was in ruins. Smoke rose to the sky. Screams of pain filled the air. The very earth seemed to be bleeding. It was complete hell on earth.<p>

"No…it can't be…I can't…I wouldn't…" Danny collapsed to his knees as he took in the destruction.

"You wouldn't, but I would." A familiar deep voice made Danny's pulse speed up in fear.

Slowly, Danny turned and looked at his greatest fear. **He** stood there. Everything about him was the same. The red eyes, flaming hair, and perverse version of Danny's suit remained untouched. Dark Dan stood proud and strong.

"It's impossible…You could not have escaped Clockwork." Danny barely whispered, but Dark Dan heard him.

"Oh, you would be surprised at what I could do. I destroyed the world after all. You didn't think I would have prepared for Clockwork? I was prepared for any scenario. And because of that, the old man is dead." Dark Dan's sharp teeth shown through Dark Dan's evil smile.

"No…He can't be…he controls time itself." Danny could not bring himself.

"No being is untouchable, with a proper plan, even a titan can be taken down." Dark Dan began to walk to Danny.

Danny shook in fear as a terrible Haunting Aura hit him. Unlike Danny's aura, Dark Dan's was not produced by grief. It was pure rage, bloodlust, and terror. Danny couldn't even think properly let alone go ghost.

"It is quite funny, don't you think. Clockwork's own death was a result of his compassion for you. If he had just killed you, then I wouldn't have ever had the opportunity to get close. I tried for years to get close, but catching a being that manipulates time is hard to corner. But now, he is dead and nothing can stand in my way ever again." Dark Dan stopped merely a few feet away from Danny.

"…The Justice League-" "Will soon be dead. I have Vlad's intelligence, you know. I made sure to take out the more dangerous members quickly and quietly. They never expected a ghost to learn their secret identities and take them out while they were weak.

"The Kryptonian is so weak to Kryptonite. It's sad really. And if you take away the bat, then all that is left is the man. And the Amazon princess…well, I had fun with her." Dark Dan's evil smile grew.

Bile ran up Danny's throat at the implication, "You sick monster!"

"You're just insulting yourself." Dark Dan's eyes bored down at Danny.

"I am not you and I will never be you! I'd rather die!" Danny shouted to his alternate self.

"That can be arranged." Dark Dan grabbed Danny by his head and lifted him up in the air. "I no longer need you, Danny. I exist outside the time stream. You know what that means?" Dark Dan laughed.

Danny shook in fear.

"You should have know I would come back. You should have prepared better. Because I, all this, is inevitable." Dark Dan's forked tongue slipped out as he laughed.

"Goodbye, Daniel. You have outlived your usefulness." Dark Dan then squeezed Danny's head will all his might. Then, there was only darkness for Danny.

* * *

><p>"No!" Danny bolted upright as an alarm blared in his ear.<p>

For a moment, Danny didn't recognize where he was. His mind went into flight of fight mode as he thrashed around. After a moment, however, he calmed down enough to realize where he was.

"Dream…just a dream." Danny groaned as wiped the sweat off his brow. He had that same exact dream…nightmare…several times now. It had cause many sleepless nights.

As he gained his bearings, Danny realized that his alarm was actually going off. Turning, he saw that it read 6:05 P.M. Danny had set it to go off at six as a reminder to get ready. That means that he had slept through the alarm for five minutes.

"That was one deep sleep, Daniel." Vlad stood at the doorway. "That alarm was starting to annoy me, so I decided to see what it was."

"…How long were you there?" Danny asked as he shut off the alarm clock and stood up. He was still in his normal clothes. 'Must have passed out when I hit the bed.' Danny thought as he tried to get the wrinkles out of his clothes.

"I arrived only a moment ago." Vlad didn't mention Danny's freak out. He either didn't see it, or he was being polite by not mentioning it.

"…Sorry, I guess that using the duplicates so long really drained me." Danny rubbed the back of his head.

"Yes, Danielle informed me of what happened…You should more careful. You know that when you are out of energy then you are defenseless. You won't be able to…oh, what do you call it? 'Leaving ghost'?" Vlad mocked his battle cry.

"You know it's 'Going ghost'." Danny glared at his mentor.

Vlad laughed. "Of course it is."

Danny sighed as walked past Vlad and out the door. "Whatever, I have to go meet a friend at the mall."

"Are you planning of flying?" Vlad questioned.

"No, I feel better now, but I don't want to push my self too far. I'll just walk." Danny didn't stop walking as he addressed Vlad.

"In that case, I'll drive you." Vlad's voice sounded behind Danny.

"Billionaire half-ghost is gonna do what now?"

* * *

><p>Danny dried not to hurl as he tried to endure Vlad's terrible driving, 'Unng…Are all drivers from my parent's generation terrible, or is it just the ones I know?'<p>

What made this worse was the fact that this wasn't the Fenton R.V. No, this was a Lamborghini. Now, while Danny loved this car. It was the ultimate stasis symbol. But it wasn't exactly the safest vehicle in the world. Compared to the Fenton R.V., the Lamborghini was like being in a tin can going over 70 miles over the speed limit.

"…You didn't have to drive me…" Danny mumbled to Vlad.

"No, I didn't, but it is always good to be early when meeting a girl." Vlad smiled knowingly.

"How'd you know it was a girl?" Danny asked.

"Daniel, the only male friend you've been around is Klemper, and he went back to the Ghost Zone when you passed out. That only leaves either Miss Grey or that Ember girl." Vlad grinned knowingly.

"How the hell did you know about her?!" Danny shifted in his seat.

"Apparently she has been talking about you a lot. Gossip travels very quickly among ghosts. They don't have a whole lot to do usually." Vlad chuckled.

"Great, just great. That's what I need. The whole Ghost Zone knows my business." Danny grumbled.

"Is that any different from high school?" Vlad asked.

"…actually, no…That's sad…" Danny grimaced.

"Yes it is…" Vlad glanced at Danny from the corner of his eye.

They were silent for a moment. Vlad focused on driving. Danny focused on trying not to focus on Vlad's driving. Danny was failing badly, too.

"Did you take a look at the disguise belt? I worked on it today." Danny wanted Vlad's opinion on the newest project.

"…Not bad. It was very well done with someone of your experience. You have improved, but you are from your parent's or my level. We will need to make some adjusts…okay, a lot of adjustments, but you got the core of it ready." Vlad tried to be gentle with his explanation.

"…So it was basically slightly above sucking?" Danny clarified.

"Basically, it was very above 'sucking,' as you so elegantly put it. But it is no where near great, yet." Vlad confirmed.

Danny sighed, "So the same as the Portable Fenton Crammer, Fenton Pealer 2.0, and Klemper's disguise ring…"

"No, you have gotten better, but to be great you need time and experience." Vlad tried to cheer up the younger halfa.

Danny gave his mentor a weak smile, but anyone could tell it was fake.

For the rest of the trip, both of the halfas said nothing. And after almost reckoning about ten times, Vlad finally pulled into the mall. Before he got out Danny said. "Vlad."

"Hmm?" The elder halfa responded.

"You've put up with a lot for my sake over the past couple of months. There is only so much guilt will make you do, yet you've been teaching me about my powers, combat, strategy, and constructing ecto-weaponry. Not to mention all the crap with the media and the companies interested in Fenton Works…This might seem rude, but I have to ask. What's in it all for you? Since I've known you the only things you do will benefit you in the end, but this…I don't see where you gain anything." Danny questioned his mentor.

"…You might be too young to understand, Daniel. When your father…when the accident happened, my life was ruined. I was hospitalized for years. I was disfigured, poor, and lacked a college degree. All chances of me living a normal life died…and then I got my ghost powers.

"With my powers I could fix everything. I could use my powers to gain billions of dollars. I could use that money to fix my disfigures. I could use my powers to make myself one of the most powerful men in the world, and yet I was not happy.

"One day you will get to the point where you will want to fall in love and have a family, Daniel. Heaven knows, I tried. It was not hard to find a woman who was willing to date a handsome billionaire, but they meant nothing to me. In the end, they were all…" Vlad tried to form appropriate words. " meaningless, shallow flings. They were pleasurable, but it never lasted.

"And it all came back to my ghost half. I could not move on to my old feelings for your mother. Yes, I know that disgusts you, but you of all people should know how hard it is for a half-ghost to move on. That was why I did everything I did. I wanted Maddie and a family of my own. And when you came into the picture you became part of an obsession that I would do anything to fulfill." Vlad rubbed his temples.

"Really? I didn't notice." There goes that teenage sarcasm again.

"…Yes, I was rather extreme. I even stared to work on an A.I. Maddie and clones of you." Danny grimaced at the A.I. part. That was extremely creepy. "But when the explosion happened, the door had finally closed. Maddie was gone and all I had was my regrets over her, you, and your father. With that door closed, however, millions more opened. But I couldn't bring myself to go in any of them that would abandon you and the little clone girl that adored me as a father.

"Now, I won't say that I'm a good person now, Daniel. I still have my own share of darker dealings going on, but I'm trying to be a better person. For my and Danielle's sake at least. And I'll tell you what, Daniel…" Vlad closed his eyes and gained a peaceful look. "I'm finally happy with my life. I may have my share of regrets and grief, but I have never been more at peace with myself. That is what I gained, Daniel. Peace."

Danny wanted to be angry and jealous at Vlad. He had gained happiness only after Danny had lost everything…but how could he be. Vlad had suffered ten years and now it was over. He was finally happy, and Danny couldn't help but be happy for Vlad. It didn't matter that he had to suffer for former enemy's happiness. That was what it meant to be a hero.

"I'm glad that something good has come out of all of this at least." Daniel gained a sad smile. "Thanks for the ride, Vlad…"

* * *

><p>As usual, the mall was full of noise and activity. When Danny first entered the mall, he was a little overwhelmed. It had been a while since he had allowed himself to be surrounded by so many people at once.<p>

And of course, this experience had to go south really fast.

"Hahahahah!" a group of teenagers were all laughing and standing at the mall's entrance as Danny was entering.

"That nerd totally had it coming." A voice of a tall blond jock that Danny always dreaded to see every day at school sounded from the group.

"Totally! It was hilarious when you pushed him into the fountain." A beautiful Hispanic girl agreed with the jock.

"He'll never bother us again," A pretty blond girl with flower clips in her long straight hair mocked.

As the group continued to chat, Danny gave them a side glance. The A-list were a group of athletic and good looking teenagers who felt as they were entitled to walk all over the normal people. For a time, Danny was a part of this group, but that was when Kitty was overshadowing Paulina.

"I hope the Nasty Burger gets rebuilt, soon." An Asian jock with short hair commented. "I've been really craving a Nasty combo meal."

Nasty combo? Was Danny the only one who noticed how weird that sounded? Granted, he had eaten one…or ten… before, but he was surprised that no one had ever commented on it.

"Yeah, but for now let's just go get a pizza. I'm starving." Dash grinned and the group turned and began to walk by Danny.

None of them even glanced to the teen as they walked past each other. If they did, they might have recognized the part of Danny's face that wasn't hidden by the hood.

After they were gone, Danny looked over to the fountain. There was a large puddle and a trail of water leading away from the fountain. The guy must have went to dry off.

Danny sympathized with the guy. He had his share of humiliation at the hands of the A-list. Yet, even though they were all in the same boat, the unpopular persecuted each other almost as badly as the jocks did. It didn't matter who you were or what group you were in. If you were different, you were open to persecution.

It was one of the reasons the unpopular didn't just stand up to the A-list as a huge group. It always confused Danny, too. Why did a fantasy nerd (no offense) hate him? What had he done? He must have done something, because the cruel words and sneers couldn't have come from no where.

Yet that was not the case. Humans were always looking for a reason to hate each other. It was part of their very nature.

Suddenly, Danny was pulled out of his thoughts as he tripped and fell face first to the ground. Danny groaned as he flipped over on his back and looked at what tripped him. Both of his shoes were untied.

"…I tripped over my one shoe laces. Smooth, Fenton, smooooooooth." Danny mumbled to himself as he got on one knee and began to tie his shoes. Weird, considering that Danny had tied a knot in his laces so they wouldn't get undone.

"Fenton? As in Danny Fenton? The billionaire ghost hunter kid?" A voice said in front of him.

Slowly, Danny looked up. In front of him was a girl with a heart shaped face and long black hair pulled up into a pony tail. Her green eyes sparked with a sense of mischief and joy. Her skin was tanned and there were a few freckles on her nose. Her torn jeans and thin pink hoody hugged her curves.

In all, she was very good looking.

"…and if I say yes?" Danny asked slowly.

"Then I will continue with my of evil plan of asking you if you are okay. Then I would ask you for an autograph before you disappear into the crowd liked and ecto-ninja." The girl smiled.

"An autograph? " Danny questioned as he stood up.

"Yep! You're a celebrity, Danny Fenton!" The girl smirked. "Don't act like you don't know. Your name is everywhere these days."

"I haven't done anything-" "Wrong, Sir!" The girl interrupted him by shoving a her right index finger in his face. "You saved Lex Luthor's Holiday Party."

"It was my fault they were the-" "Details, details. You went all badass on them and now your name is up in lights." The girl giggled.

"If you say so…what's your name, again?" Danny rubbed the back of his head.

"Jenifer, but everyone calls me Jenny." The girl said in a sing-song voice.

"Well, I'll just call you Jenifer, because I'm nobody." Danny smirked.

"Didn't we just have a similar conversation to this." Jenifer tilted her head.

"But nobody's perfect. And I am nobody, so I am perfect." Danny chuckled at his bad joke. For some reason he felt at ease with this girl. It was as if their personalities just clicked.

"A perfect klutz is more like it." Jenifer rolled her eyes.

"Oh, low blow. You shouldn't judge me on that. I could have sworn I tied my shoes. Forgetting one is me being an air-head, but two…They must have come undone." Danny shrugged.

"That's some bad luck." Jenifer covered her giggles by placing her hand in front of her mouth. Her face was even turning red. Danny couldn't understand why she was doing that. His fall was comical, but it was not that funny.

"Yeah…" Danny then remembered why he came to the mall in the first place. "Oh! I'm sorry, but I'm meeting a friend, so I need to get going."

"Alright, I'll let you go, but on one condition." Jenifer held up one finger for emphasis.

"Condition?" When did this become a negotiation?

"I just moved here with my mom, and I really don't know my way around. I need you to show me around." Jenifer tilted her head cutely.

"Why me?" Danny asked.

"You're a lot more fun than anyone else around here. The girls only talk about make up, and the guys just look at my breasts the entire time I talk to them. And you've only glanced at them twice! Congratulations, you are not a complete pig." Jenifer smirked.

Danny did not know how to respond to that.

"So, I'll tell you what." Jenifer lifted up a phone and started to tap on it. "I'll put my number in your phone. And you will call me in three days. That's the rule right?"

"Hey! How did you get my phone?!" Danny shouted.

"You dropped it when you face planted," Jenifer stated in matter of fact manner.

"Oh…" Danny's face reddened.

"And hear…you…go!" Jenifer gave Danny his phone back.

"Thanks, I'll talk to you later…I guess." Danny waved and turned to go.

"You better…and have fun with your friend. Make sure not to say anything stupid." Jenifer told Danny.

"Don't jinx me." Danny chuckled.

As Danny walked away, Jenifer's smile grew a little darker. For a single moment, her green eyes flashed pink as she whispered to herself, "…No promises…"

* * *

><p>Danny sighed as he sat down on the bench. The previous distractions almost made him late, but he made it right on time. He was glad for that, too. Danny didn't think Ember was the type of person who liked to wait.<p>

"You were almost late, Dipstick." Ember glared at the halfa.

"Sorry, I ran into some distractions today." Danny gave her an apologetic look.

"Doesn't matter. If you were even a second late, I would have left." Ember glowered.

"Sorry." Danny didn't know what to do to please her.

"You didn't do nothing, Babypop. But you were close." Ember leaned back in her seat and crossed her legs.

The both were sitting on a bench in the center of the mall. Many people were gathered by a shop with a television running. It seemed that the Red Huntress was fighting an unknown ghost. Normally, Danny would rush off to stop the ghost, but Val could handle herself and Danny knew better than to blow off Ember.

"For a while there, I thought you were avoiding me. It was almost a week until we met again after New Years after all." Ember looked over at the halfa.

"You were causing a public disturbance." Danny remembered how Ember caught his attention last week.

"Hey! No one was complaining about the free concert as it was going on." Ember defended herself.

"They were all brainwashed." Danny pointed out.

"So? I didn't do anything that television hasn't been doing for decades." Ember smirked.

"They've been using ghost powers to hypnotize fans into cheering and rioting?" Danny asked.

"Yes." Ember nodded.

Danny sighed again.

Ember then continued her recap. "Then when we finally meet again, you act as if nothing ever happened."

"What? I just asked you what you were doing." Danny was confused.

"Exactly, you came in all serious. You didn't even check me out." Ember pointed at him.

"I was supposed to?" Danny was shocked.

"Of course. You don't think I dress like this to get ignored, do you?" Ember raised an eyebrow.

"…Well no, but I thought you were just going with the whole 'punk rock' thing." Danny rubbed his chin in thought.

Ember ignored Danny and went back to her story, "So, because you were being so rude with the ignoring me for a whole week thing, I just had to give you a wake up call."

"You blasted me to the roof of the nearest building." Danny remembered.

Once again, he was ignored. "And afterward, you were shocked by my generous greeting and sign of forgiveness."

"You mean when you stuck your tongue down my throat?" Danny said this mostly for himself. He knew when a woman wasn't going to let him argue.

"Like is said, 'generous greeting and sign of forgiveness'." Ember smiled in remembrance.

Danny decided that he wanted to continue the rest of the story. "And after five minutes, you finally pulled away and demanded that I take you on a date right there and then. You dragged me across town to take you shopping and to buy you food. And at the end of the night, you wrote your number on my arm and told me to call you the next day or you would castrate me…I am still shocked by how good the reception is in the Ghost Zone."

Ember just laughed, "Hahahah, yes! Glad you did call me though. I don't dig guys with no balls."

Danny grimaced, "Oh, your hilarious."

"Yes, I know. But I was surprised when you asked to go to the mall. I figured a good second date would be going to the movies. It's dark in the movies." Ember smirked seductively.

Danny fought a shiver, "Look, Ember. I didn't call you for that. I just…what is this exactly? What am I to you?"

"I don't know. I guess you would be my boyfriend." Ember shrugged her shoulders.

"You say that so nonchalantly…" Danny folded his hands and looked down at the ground.

"What? Do you want me to proclaim a burning heart of passion? A love song? A deep confession of my desire for you?" Ember mocked him.

"No…I just…I didn't think that being a boyfriend would happed after some kissing and one date." Danny explained.

"How do you get to be a boyfriend then, Love muffin." Ember once again made fun of him.

"…I don't know, but this…it doesn't seem like what it should be. I mean, I stopped you from taking over the world twice and neither of us have any real feelings for each other. We just have some…sexual tension." Danny tried get the words out right.

"First, I already said that the whole taking over the world thing was my bad. And second, what's wrong with sexual tension? I'm attracted to you and you're attracted to me. We hook up, have some fun, and see where things go. Thousands of relationships start out like that." Ember rolled her eyes.

"And thousands of relationships fail because of that. Neither of us have any emotional ties to each other, and yet we already almost got to second base the last time we made out." Danny remembered the goodnight 'kiss' they had before Ember left on their last date.

"Are you complaining?" Ember raised both her eyebrows.

"No, I've enjoyed every moment of it." Danny admitted.

"Then what's your point?" Ember looked confused. "You enjoy this. I enjoy this. It's not like we're hurting anybody. And screw anyone that says otherwise. Tell me, do you want me?"

Danny answered truthfully, "Yes."

"Do you want to be in a relationship with me?" Ember asked.

Once again, he said the truth, "Yes."

"Do you want to just have some fun and forget about life?" Ember questioned.

"Yes." Dear God, that was the truth.

"You want to date me. Then the answer is simple. Let's go catch a movie and not watch to movie." Ember stood and gestured to the area where the movie theater was.

Danny closed his eyes. Every part of him wanted to say yes to that. Every instinct in his body screamed at him to go with Ember. All of his logic told him that this was a good idea. And the loudest part of him, the ghost half, was urging him to get up and follow the girl.

The halfa remembered how he felt after spending time with Ember. He had never felt so carefree. All of his troubles were burned away for a few brief moments. It was incredible. It was addicting. It was something that his entire being wanted to experience again.

…But…

What would his mom think of that? What would Jazz think of that? What would _Sam_ think of that?

Danny already knew.

"…No…" Danny firmly stated.

Ember gained a shocked look. Slowly, she sat down on the bench. She seemed to be at a loss for words, and Danny couldn't blame her. He was still shocked that he said that.

"Ember. Any dating relationship we would have right now would be about me being selfish. I would just use you and not care about your feelings at all…And that is now how you should be treated.

"In the space of a few months, I've been used by a jealous ghost girl, been dumped by a girl that I've really grown to care for, and watched all of my friends and family die right before my eyes. I am not ready for a relationship like I would have with you.

"I want to be selfish. I really, really do. But that would be wrong. It would be against everything I was taught and everything I stand for. So, I have to say no. I have to deny myself this luxury and pleasure, because that is what a hero would do." Danny couldn't bring himself to look at Ember, so he stared at the floor.

"…"Ember said nothing for a long while. So they just sat there in sile- "Ahhh!"

…Well, that moment of silence was short.

Every one was crowding around the nearest televisions. They were all yelling and shouting about the Red Huntress and how she seemed to be losing her fight. It seemed to be bad, too.

"I'm sorry, Ember. But it seems that I have to go. I hope you don't hate me too much right now." Danny nodded to the ghost girl and turned to run to the bathroom. As he ran, he didn't notice Ember's eyes following him the whole way.

"I'm going ghost!"

* * *

><p>Finding the battle was not difficult. It wasn't like there were a bunch of explosions and smoke coming from all over the city. Only one huge area had those…<p>

"Whoa," Danny mumbled as he flew to the battle. "I really hoped that's just Val losing her temper."

And like always, his hopes were crushed. Well, more like blown to pieces.

"Agh!" The Red Huntress groaned as she flew up in the sky toward Danny.

"Got cha!" Danny said as he caught to ghost hunter.

"Ung…What took you…so long…stupid ghost," Val groaned again.

"I figured you could handle it. Besides, you never seem happy when I interrupt your fights," Danny pointed out.

Red Huntress gave an unladylike grunt as her board came back to her so she could fly on her own. "I'll make an exception this one time. This ghost is tough."

"Didn't get a chance to use that red thermos of yours?" Danny reference the red…not-Fenton…thermos that Val cared.

"He broke it." Val mumbled.

"…He broke a piece of ghost hunting equipment that was made so a ghost can't break it?" Danny asked in disbelief.

"Yep." Val nodded.

"This just keeps getting better and better by the minute." Danny complained.

"Oh, shut up. I've been the one fighting him and you don't see me complaining. You ghost pansy." Val insulted him. Obviously, she still held a grudge. Even if Danny Fenton asked her to play nice.

"Hey!" Danny was offended.

"Get ready, ghost. He's coming and if you get in my way, I'll just have to shoot you too." Val glared at him.

"Whatever." Danny rolled his eyes and prepared for battle.

"Hahahahahahahhahahah!" A deep, gravely voice laughed. "What's wrong girl?! The battle's just beginning!"

The being floating towards them was huge. He stood…err floated… at the same gigantic size as the Ghost King and seemed to be a wall of muscles. Unlike the ghost King, however, this ghost seemed far more… less regal in attire.

The ghost had forgone any clothing above his torso, but had a loose black hakama pants. His black spiky hair rand down to the middle of his back. His crimson red skin was covered by blue tattoos that formed a swirling pattern. Various scars covered the ghost's body but the most obvious one was the scar running down from his shoulder across his chest to the middle of his ribcage.

The ghost's blue war paint covered face was twisted into a gleeful smile. His white teeth were in full view. His black eyes gleamed in pure delight. In all, he seemed to be enjoying himself.

"Oh! The one called Phantom has arrived too! Hahahaha!" The ghost lifted his arms to the sky and flung his had back in laughter. "This might actually be fun!"

"Who are you?" Danny asked. He had no idea who this ghost was.

"You have never head of me? I am called Colossus the man who makes the very earth tremble in fear!" Colossus gestured all around him for emphasis.

"Never heard of you," Danny and Valerie spoke in unison. Of course, this annoyed Valerie and caused the ghost hunter to glare at the ghost.

"Eh?…Maybe my nap lasted longer than I thought…" Colossus rubbed his chin in thought. "Hey, what year is it?"

"What?…It's 2010..." Danny said weakly.

"…Well, crap…Didn't think I slept that long.." Colossus sat down in midair. "Knew I should have ordered a wake up call… Oh, well. I suppose the world has forgotten about me. A few hundred years will cause that to happen."

"What's with this?!" The Red Huntress shouted in anger. "A minute ago, we were fighting to the death and now you're making ghost small talk."

"That's racist." Danny glanced at the Huntress.

"What! How is it racist?!" Val's face was turning red.

"You didn't have to call it 'ghost' small talk. Even if we are dead, not everything we do can be described by the word ghost. How would you like it if I said you were having a human temper tantrum." Danny accused the girl.

"Shut up!" The girl glared at Danny. "Shouldn't we be more focused on the evil ghost destroying the town!"

"Evil? How am I evil? I was just standing there and you attacked me? Not that I mind. I love a good battle." Colossus grinned.

"You were causing mass panic." Val turned to the giant ghost.

"So a few frightened humans were screaming in panic. It wasn't like I actually did anything." Colossus stood…floated…you know what I mean!

"It only happened because you were there ghost!" Val snapped at him.

"Phantom's right. You are racist." Colossus shook his head.

"Thank you!" Danny cried. Finally someone agreed with him.

"…Okay enough of this. Are we going to fight or what?" Val raised her wrist gun.

"I don't see why we-" "Of course! That's why I came here in the first place!" Colossus yelled above Danny.

"Huh?" Danny gave him a shocked look.

"I was having such a good sleep, but then my home started to shake and crumble around me, so I decided to go out on a walk…I do wonder how it was destroyed. I made sure that it would not brake under normal circumstances…

"Anyway, I decided to see what had happened while I was asleep and I found out about you. A young ghost not even a year dead defeated my rival, Pariah Dark. You can imagine my surprise and excitement. A new challenger has come to the battlefield." Colossus' grin turned vicious.

" The Ghost King's rival…You came to fight me?" Danny slowly took a battle stance. If this guy was telling the truth, then this just took a turn for the worse.

"You…that ghost hunter beside you…maybe even this Superman I have heard about. I don't really care. All I care about is the fight." Colossus cracked his knuckles. "But the time for talk has passed, now. So, are you going to fight me one-on-one or two-on-one? It doesn't matter to me."

Danny turned to Val. They both knew how powerful the Ghost King was. Even with the Fenton Exoskeleton, Danny still needed help to win. And if this ghost was even close to that power, then…

They needed to work together.

"I have a Thermos on me. If we can get him off guard for even an instant, I can capture him." Danny said evenly.

"Sound's like as good a plan as any." Val growled. She was obviously angry and ready to fight.

"All right, let's do this."

"Just don't get in my way, spook,"

* * *

><p>"…as you can see, Danny Phantom has arrived and is now helping the Red Huntress fight the unknown ghost. They seemed to be trying to talk it out for a second, but the fight has continued…" "Danielle, what are you watching?" Vlad's voice distracted Dani from the news.<p>

"Danny and the Red Huntress are teaming up to fight a ghost." Dani didn't turn from the television. It was too interesting to turn away.

The news was filming the fight from a nearby building. They were a good distance away from the camera, but Dani could see the fight at least.

The fight had begun with Danny rushing the large ghost. He had sent a barrage of punches and kicks at the giant of a ghost. Each blow, however, was blocked by only one of the ghost's massive arms.

While Danny was up close and personal, the Red Huntress was fighting at a distance. She had sent several blasts at the tattooed ghost, but they were all batted away with the ghosts free arm.

Suddenly, Danny began to glow blue. Using his ice powers, Danny began to try to freeze the ghost. This plan soon failed, however, when a sudden burst of energy of…not ectoplasm…it looked like…clear raw energy. A shockwave.

As Danny was flung backwards, the large ghost turned his attention to the Red Huntress. He was met with several ecto-blast and missiles. None of them had any affect on him as another shockwave stopped them cold in their tracks. Then in a burst of speed, the ghost was right in front of the Red Huntress.

The Red Huntress' instincts saved her, though. She leaned back as soon as that first punch came in. Then to gain some distance, she allowed gravity to take control and she began to fall to the ground.

That was when Danny came up behind the ghost, thermos in hand. It looked as though the ghost was about to be captured, but it was not meant to be. The ghost tuned and hit Danny with a vicious back fist. In an instant, Danny was sent flying to the ground below

This caused the thermos to fly into the air. Nonchalantly, the ghost caught the thermos. As he examined it, the Red Huntress came up to the ghost.

Just as she was about to hit him, though, the ghost suddenly lurched up. As the Red Huntress soared under him, the large ghost did a front flip. Using that momentum, the ghost did an axe kick to the unprotected ghost hunter. And just like with Danny, a huge shockwave sent the Red Huntress soaring to the ground.

"Oh no!" Dani shouted as she watched the female vigilante fall to the ground.

"…That is Colossus." Vlad walked past Dani and the couch to get a better look at the television. "He is a very old and powerful ghost. Many think that he was born out of man's desire for war and conflict. An S-class type of ghost born from an idea…At their level they have no chance of winning."

There was no noise from Dani.

Colossus glanced between the place where his opponents fell and the Fenton Thermos. He seemed to have an internal debate, until he gained a look of disgust. With a brutal snarl, Colossus crushed the thermos in his massive hands and let the pieces fall to where the two vigilantes had fallen.

"This doesn't bode well for them," Vlad noted.

Dani was still silent.

"Luckily, there is a low chance of him killing them." Vlad said. "He was rumored to be very honorable in battle. He always walked away when his opponent couldn't move anymore. They might me hurt, but they will live. Otherwise, I would step in my self and drag them out of there."

Dani was once again silent, which was a bad sign.

"…But, now that I think of it, they might have insulted him by using the Fenton Thermos. He was rumored have a large sense of honor. Comparable to a samurai, really. Maybe, we should go stop the fight before it ends badly."

Even at the suggestion of battle, Danielle still said nothing.

Mental alarms blared in Vlad's mind. "Danielle?" He turned. No one was there. Danielle was gone. "You've been gone since I started talking, haven't you?"

Well, there was only on thing to say in this situation.

"Oh, Butter biscuit!"

* * *

><p>"Ugrnnnnnnnnnnnnnn…." Danny groaned as he pealed himself off the ground. "Okay, I'm officially in pain."<p>

Turning, to go back to the fight, Danny caught sight of Valerie falling towards the ground. Danny launched himself to the ghost hunter. He barely caught her before she hit the ground.

Carefully placing her down, Danny examined her for injuries, "Red…Red, can you hear me?" She did not respond. She was unconscious.

"Hey, Phantom! Are you okay?" Danny did not want to hear Dash Baxter right now.

Danny didn't look up from Val but still answered. "Yeah, but Red's not doing that great."

"Oh! Mi amor! It has been so long!" Paulina kneeled by Danny and checked him for injuries. "What can I do to help."

Danny's first instinct was to tell them to take Val and go, but that might jeopardize her secret identity. "Yeah, I have an important job for you all," Danny looked up at the A-list. "Red will wake up in a second. Go warn everyone on this street and tell them to get as far away as possible."

They all shared a look and Kwan said, "You got it."

Danny sighed as her turned back to Val. Suddenly he felt a pair of hands grab his head and pull him into a pair of soft lips. "Stay safe, Mi amor. I shall await for your victory." With that, Paulina turned and began to do what Danny had asked her to.

'I really need to have a talk with her. I don't think she understands what necrophilia is.' Danny did not look forward to that conversation.

Suddenly, bits of scrap metal fell on top of Danny's head. Carefully examining the metal, Danny realized that it was a part of the Fenton Thermos. Which meant that it was now destroyed and capturing Colossus was now impossible.

…crap…

"Coward!" Colossus slammed down on the ground not twenty feet in front of him. "I allowed you to fight me two on one and you just try to contain me! I had thought that you would be a worthy opponent, but you are nothing but trash."

Colossus raised his hand and began condensing shockwave energy into his hand. "I can't stand cowardice pieces of trash like you!" Now regular ectoplasmic energy began to condense with the shockwave.

"Wait!" Danny stood protectively in front of Val. "She's unconscious!"

"I don't care. She challenged me. If she had fought honorably, I would have just walked away, but my honor is now insulted. And I cannot allow that. It doesn't matter if it was a man or a woman. They are equal in my eyes. And they can all die equally." Colossus pointed the condense ball of death toward the two.

In a desperate attempt to save Valerie, Danny draped himself over her to stop most of the blow. Luckily, that was unnecessary. For just as he was about let it fire, a large green dog tackled him "Grrrrawwww!"

"Cujo!" Danny shouted in surprise.

Because of the collision, the ball of destruction flew straight up in the air. It went high above Amity Park and then exploded. Even from such a large distance, Danny could still feel the force. That blast would have destroyed him, Valerie, and the entire block easily.

"Arg! Stupid dog!" Colossus picked the dog off him and slammed him into the ground with a shockwave for extra measure. Cujo yelped and whined in pain from having his ribs crushed.

"No!" Danny yelled as he saw Colossus go for the killing plow. Cujo couldn't die. He was Danny's dog.

And Danny was not going to allow someone he cared about die again.

In anger, Danny launched himself at Colossus at speeds he didn't know he could reach. An instant later, Danny launched an ectoplasmic covered fist at Colossus.

Colossus blocked it, of course. The unusual thing, however, was when Colossus was sent flying by Danny's attack. Not too far in comparison to how Colossus threw Danny, but it was still a large distance.

"Don't you dare hurt my dog!" Danny snarled.

Colossus landed in a kneel several yards. He looked completely shocked. How could such a young ghost gain so much power in an instant. Colossus even felt a Haunting Aura for a second!

It was not like he was injured, though. He barely felt the blow, but still... Maybe he misjudged the young ghost.

Danny picked up the now shrunken Cujo and quickly brought him by Valerie. This was not a good situation. Both of them could not fight like this. He would have to try and protect them and fight Colossus.

Fortunately, that problem was solved in moments. A black and white dot was flying towards them. From a distance, it looked like a duplication of Danny, but it was not so. It was Dani.

"Danny!" Dani shouted at her brother as she flew to the battle field as fast as she could fly.

In any normal circumstance, Danny would be angry that Dani was there. She was not allowed to go out in public as a ghost, but now was an exception. Now was a life and death emergency.

"Dani…" Danny did not take his eyes off Colossus. The large titan of a ghost was just standing there, observing, but Danny was still on alert. "I need you to take Cujo and Red Huntress out of here. Get them as far away as possible."

"But I came to help you. If we work together, we can beat him." Dani glared at Colossus.

"Dani…" Danny knelt down beside his sister. "Even with your help, there is no chance of victory if we have to look after Cujo and Red. Get them out of here and everything will be okay."

Dani looked like she wanted to protest, but one look from Danny caused the complaints to die in her throat. "…Okay, Danny." With that, Dani picked up the hunter and the dog and began to fly away.

"You had the injured taken away and decided to fight an opponent you can't defeat on your own…very honorable. You have a second chance now, Phantom. A clean slate. We shall restart the fight and see if you are worthy." Another wild grin formed on Colossus' face as he slid into a battle stance.

Danny glared at Colossus. "Don't think I will fight the same as before. The area is clear of civilians and I no longer have to hold back because of a teammate. I will win."

"Such confidence… almost cocky really. Alright, then. Come and let's see if that confidence is deserved or not!" Colossus shouted as he rushed towards Phantom.

Danny rolled to the side and barely avoided the shockwave punch to his head. As quickly as possible, Danny made three duplicates of himself and they began to attack Colossus.

'Thank god that I regained all my energy back before the fight.' Danny thought. 'I wouldn't have a chance like I was earlier…I still might not stand a chance, anyway.'

The real Danny attacked from a distance, while the duplicates had a more frontal attack. Duplications however had a huge side affect. They drained the majority of Danny's power. Thus while Danny did win in the numbers game, he lost completely in the power and speed game.

Nevertheless, Colossus only had two arms and could only block two of the duplicates at a time. As the constant waves of attacks assaulted him, at least two of the blows hit. It would have been an achievement, if they did anything other than annoy the large ghost.

Suddenly, a wave of irritation and lust for battle hit the three duplicates as Colossus released his Haunting Aura. For a second, the three duplicates faltered, and that was all Colossus needed. He brought his arms together and charged energy in his entire body. Then with a loud roar, Colossus sent a large shockwave out around him in a burst and destroyed all three of the duplicates.

But that was what Phantom wanted Colossus to do. Because they were destroyed, a portion of the duplicates energy went back to Danny. Just in time for Danny's ace in the hole.

The Ghostly Wail.

Standing a good distance away from his enemy, Danny already had taken a large breath of air into his barely needed ghost lungs as Colossus launched himself toward Danny. At this rate, Colossus would crash into the Ghostly Wail at point blank. And with that, the fight would be over, whether by Colossus being defeated, or by Danny exhausting himself. Hopefully it would be the former.

Just as Danny was about to let his strongest attack from the past and future out, he felt a wave of nausea hit him full force. The previous exhaustion Danny had felt earlier that day had returned. His own body was telling him that using the Ghostly Wail was impossible right now.

So, as he stood there, completely vulnerable from his failed attempt at attacking, Danny realized his situation. He was out of energy and nearly defenseless. Colossus was attacking. In about one second, a massive roundhouse kick powered by powerful shockwave would land on his left side and destroy him.

In other words, Danny was now officially screwed.

In a desperate attempt to defend himself, Danny braced his arm against his side and prepared himself for the attack. Then, the kick made contact and Danny felt his body shatter into pieces. The kick was already powerful enough to be considered above superhuman level. Add the shockwave, and the blow was powerful enough to make even Superman feel pain.

Danny first felt his arm shatter, first. Then his left ribs snapped. Last, all of the organs that would be necessary later as a human were torn to shreds. And then the pain.

Searing, unspeakable pain surged through Danny's entire body. It was a pain that Danny was familiar with. A pain that Danny had felt only once. The pain of a slow and terrible death.

Because of this pain, Danny didn't realize that the shockwave was pushing him down the street. He also didn't notice when he hit the truck and caused it to crash . The half-ghost didn't even notice when all his ghostly energy focused on his destroyed organs in an desperate attempt to keep him from dying instantly when he turned back into a human.

Danny didn't know how, but somehow he pealed himself out of the ruble and began to walk back to Colossus. Maybe, it was instinct. Maybe, it was stubborn pride. But nonetheless, Danny stumbled and limped back to his opponent.

Colossus had no expression as he watched Danny. He gave nothing away as the boy with a torn and destroyed jumpsuit hobbled over to him.

When he got in front of the giant ghost, green blood pored out of Danny's mouth. For a brief moment, Danny's eyes met Colossus'. In that moment, Danny drew whatever energy not working on keeping him alive and said, "…Screw you.."

Colossus gained a huge grin. Was he amused? It didn't matter. All that mattered was that he was raising his giant fist right in front of Danny's face. Then, Colossus stuck out his index finger and poked the halfa.

That was all it took for Danny to fall back, defeated and broken.

* * *

><p>It difficult for Dani to carry both Valerie and Cujo. They weren't heavy for the young clone. It was just awkward. Their body weight kept shifting and considering how much bigger Red Huntress was compared to Dani, it was quiet an unusual experience.<p>

She managed to get them halfway across town, however. It was a slow process, but hey, the tortoise wins the race in the end, right?

"…Ung…" Red Huntress groaned, but she didn't open her eyes. "What happened?"

"You got knocked out, so Danny asked me to get you out of the battlefield." Dani remained focused on flying.

"Danny…Phantom…Colossus!" Red Huntress jerked and cause Dani to lose her grip. Luckily, Red Huntress could materialize her hover board under her feet and did not fall to her death.

"Wait! What are you doing?" Dani shifted Cujo, so she was cradling him.

Red Huntress glared at the ghost, "I'm going back to fight. Can't let Phantom have all the glory… Wait! Who are you and why do you have that stupid ghost dog?"

"Don't call him stupid! He's my puppy and-" "Boom! Crash!" Loud noises from the battle field interrupted Dani.

"Doesn't matter right now." Red Huntress turned. "There's a ghost out there that need his ass kicked."

"No!" Dani blocked the hunter. "Danny said he would handle it. If you go back now, you might get caught in a Ghostly Wail!"

"A Ghostly what, now?" Red Huntress raised an eyebrow.

"Don't worry about that." Dani diverted the subject. "But right now, Danny is going all out and if I can't be there to help him, then you can't either." Dani pouted.

"What are you a child?" Red Huntress questioned.

"Well, duh! I'm like ten!" Dani rolled her eyes.

"This is stupid!" Red Huntress glared at Dani. "You can't stop me from…" Red Huntress stopped and began to shudder.

Soon after, Dani began to tremble, too. A wave of despair, anger, and hopeless caused her to freeze. Tears began to fall down her cheeks. In her arms, Cujo began to whimper and wine.

Slowly, Dani managed to float over to a nearby. As soon as her feet met the roof, she collapsed. She couldn't take these feelings they were suffocating her.

Dani was so out of it, she didn't even notice the large flash of green light and explosion from the battle sight. Then just as quickly as they hit, the feelings faded.

It was almost as they were never there. For a brief moment, Dani wondered if she imagined them. A side glance to the nearby Red Huntress, who also too refuge on the roof, told her that it actually happened, though.

For a few minutes, the two tried to regain their composure. Slowly, they both began to stand up.

"What was that?" Dani wiped the tears out of her eyes.

"…a Haunting Aura…Phantom's Haunting Aura…" Red Huntress growled. She then hopped on her board and began to head where Phantom was.

Dani glanced over to Cujo and whispered, "I'll be back boy." She then rocketed after Red Huntress.

'Please be okay, Danny.' Dani prayed.

* * *

><p>(Play: Headstrong by Trapt)<p>

Laying on his back, Danny tried to stay awake. Almost any other person would have passed out from pain. Yet, he still fought on, because if he passed out, he would turn back into a human. If that happened, Danny knew he would die. And Danny refused to die like this.

"…" Colossus had said something, but Danny couldn't understand it. His mind couldn't concentrate enough to discern the words.

Suddenly, Colossus turned on his heel and began to walk away. That was good. He wasn't going to finish Danny. Why, Danny didn't know, but he didn't want to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Suddenly, something caught Danny's attention. It was a small devise that Danny usually kept hidden in his suit. It was Tucker's PDA.

Danny must have dropped it sometime in the fight. Obviously, it happened before that last shockwave blow, because it was completely intact. Thank God, for small…

Crack! The PDA shattered as Colossus' massive foot stepped on it. The monster of a ghost didn't even feel the metal and glass as he continued walking.

It took Danny's tired mind a moment to realize what had happened, '…PDA…Tucker…He broke…**He broke Tucker's PDA!'**

Suddenly a wave of emotions flowed throughout Danny. Everything Danny had suppressed and froze over for the past few months came back with a vengeance.

New energy flowed through his body. Using all his willpower, Danny rolled onto his stomach and tried to get up. It seemed futile, though. How could he could he pick himself up with one arm and noodle legs. Why was he trying to anyway? He couldn't do anything to Colossus anyway.

There was no sense to it. It was physically impossible.

Danny glanced once again at the shattered PDA and grit his teeth. What made sense didn't matter. What was impossible no longer mattered. All that matter was that Tucker's PDA was now broken. The only thing that Danny had left of Tucker was gone!

Power surged through Danny as he crashed his right hand on the ground and pushed himself into a kneeling position. Then with a glare to the back of Colossus, Danny let everything burst out.

For months, Danny tried to use his Haunting Aura, but he could never bring it out on will. It was a power based solely on how much power and emotion a ghost had. With Danny suppressing all his emotion, using a Haunting Aura was impossible, but now it couldn't be contained.

Danny's Haunting Aura blasted out like water from a broken dam. And in an instant, it rolled out through half the city.

Colossus stopped and turned around in shock. Beads of perspiration, or whatever a ghost had, made its way down his brow. He had never felt such an Haunting Aura. It was powerful and had such a large radius…and it wasn't fading!

Slowly, an excited grin formed on Colossus' face once again as. Now this was a challenger!

Danny raised himself up to a stand and glared at Colossus. He could feel that his innards were now knitted back together again. He was now out of critical condition and that was enough.

It would be nice to be able to use his left side, though.

"Hahahah! How do you do it? I defeat you and you come back stronger than before!? Fantastic!" Colossus roared as he wiped his brow. He activated his own Haunting Aura to make negate Danny's, but

Danny said nothing. He had no energy to waste on talking right now.

"It doesn't matter! All that matters now is the fight! This time, I'll make sure you stay down!" Colossus charged at Danny.

Danny merely stayed where he was. Any tactician would tell him to move out of the way, but Danny was now beyond reason and thought. His power was making him move solely on instincts, now.

As Colossus rushed to Danny, miniature shock waves absorbed into his right hand. He was focusing his power to one large blow. In fact, Danny could see the clear energy radiate off his hand.

Colossus then formed his hand into a chop and sent it straight down to Phantom. As the hand came down, Danny jumped into it. To many, it would seem suicidal, but Colossus just grinned at the challenge.

Just as the chop was about to hit him, Danny turned into a green mist. For a single moment, Danny had become practically invincible to all physical blows. That was all the time he needed, too.

The chop passed through the mist and headed to the ground. The mist solidified back into Danny. The halfa then poured as much energy as he could into his right arm and threw a punch to Colossus' defenseless face.

Right as Danny was about to make contact with Colossus, the titan's shockwave went of behind Danny. Using the blast as a springboard for extra momentum, Danny punched Colossus with everything he had.

Boooooooom! Danny's fist exploded with green energy as it hit the giant of a ghost.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Danny yelled as his blow sent Colossus flying into the air, high above Amity Park.

"Urgnnnnnnnnnnn" Phantom groaned as he hit the hard pavement face first. With all the emotions and energy gone, white rings formed around Danny and changed him back into a human.

Danny laid on the ground unmoving. His right arm, burnt and smoking from the final blow, was still in front of him just like it was when Danny hit Colossus. That was the only place he was burnt at least. The rest of his body was covered in bruises and sores.

Danny could not feel the pain, however. There was a good chance that his body had went into shock. Hopefully, someone, preferably someone who already knew his secret, would come help him soon. He probably needed medical attention.

At least, Colossus was defeated, though. That blow had combined Danny's blow with Colossus' shockwave. There was no way anyone could…

"Hahahahahahahahahahhahah!" If Danny wasn't completely numb (both emotionally and physically) he would have been filled with dread.

Cra-crack! It sound like something was being pushed back into place. It mush have been Colossus' jaw.

"Now that was a real puch! I will be feeling that for weeks!" Colossus yelled in glee.

Danny could do nothing. 'I can't see anything….Are my eyes closed?…no…No, everything's just blurry.'

"You're alive. I can see you breath, Phantom" Colossus stood in front of Danny from the sound of him. "I don't know if you can hear me, but you need to listen."

"You have earned my respect today. You fought with everything you had and more. That is the way of a champion." Colossus sounded very happy.

"You will be angry with yourself for losing. I won't be stupid and tell you not to be. Only a weakling will be content with a loss." Danny wished he had to energy to do something other than listen.

"When you wake up, use your frustration and improve yourself. Learn to control that power you just showed, and you will surpass me one day.

"You might not agree with my ways. I live to fight, and will always seek out opponents, but I have pushed myself to my limits. And that is what you will have to do.

"I have heard a lot of what happened since I took my nap. I have only learned a little of this new world…the fact that a Ghostly Presense is now called an Haunting Aura is one, but I have heard of the new champions in both this planet and the Ghost Zone.

"If you wish to follow the path of the hero, that is your choise. But! Be prepared. I am only the first challenger you will have to fight on your path. Granted, not all of them will be as strong as me, but most of them will not have my sense of honor and pride.

"They will kill you and anyone in their way, so be prepared, Phantom…Oh! Don't worry about me. I won't be back here for a while. I need to see what this new world has to offer! Stay safe, Phantom. I wouldn't want my new rival to die on me!" Then it was silent. Colossus had left.

With his opponent gone, Danny allowed himself to gracefully pass out.

* * *

><p>"Red!… Wait!….Would you listen to me!" Dani shouted to the ghost hunter.<p>

They were currently heading to what looked like ground zero. Road was basically destroyed. Craters were everywhere. Many spots were scorched. A truck with a large indent in it was even crammed in the side of a building.

"The fight's over. Calm down, little ghost girl." Red Huntress surveyed the area.

"Little! Who are you calling little?! Just because I'm young doesn't mean I don't have feelings you jerk!" Dani did not like to be called small.

"Would you shut up! If you hadn't noticed, this was a very serious situation. People could be hurt." Red Huntress kept looking for any injured civilians.

"No way! Danny had the street cleared while you were unconscious. I saw and heard a bunch of kids saying that he told them to evacuate everyone!" Dani nodded her head.

"…He did?" Red Huntress asked. "He never seemed that responsible."

"You'd be surprised." Dani harrumphed.

"Whatever. Where did the spooo…k." Red Huntress was looking directly at the largest crater on the street. "Danny? Oh no! Danny!"

Red Huntress flew to the crater, and Dani followed. She didn't see what…Oh good God have mercy.

Danny laid on his stomach in the center of the crater. He looked like he had been run over by a semi. His clothes were torn and teared, so Dani could see the various bruises and welts on her brother. The worst things were his arms, though. His left arm was broken and was lying at a weird angle. His right arm was completely burned from his shoulder to his fingertips.

Basically, he looked like he'd been through hell.

"Oh Danny." Valerie knelt by Danny and carefully rolled him over.

"Is that guy okay?" Dani pretended not to know him.

"No!" She seemed completely distraught as she sat and put his head on her lap. "We need to call an ambulance…Wait. Why is he here? Phantom wouldn't let him help, even if he had ghost hunting equipment. And he's so injured. It looks like he was in the middle of the fight. But Phantom…Danny Phantom…Danny Fenton…never appear in the same place…Phantom started fight and at the end Fenton was in his place…Oh…OH!…"

'Oh crap! The gears are turning!' Dani mentally paniced.

"And you…" Red Huntress turned to her. "You look like Danny…you are ten…you know Danny well according to your words…Dan-Danielle Masters?"

She looked like a lost puppy now. Her view of reality was now crushed. Nothing made sense to the poor ghost hunter now.

Dani could only think of one thing to do.

She waved her hands in circular motions and said, "You didn't see anything…"

"…Yes, yes I did." Valerie said.

"Okay, not even I thought that would work…The story is really funny actually. You're just gonna laugh and laugh." Danielle paused hoping for a reaction. She didn't get any.

"…Alright, but be patient. It's a looooooooooong story…"

* * *

><p><strong>To answer a few things about this story...<strong>

**1. Danny is fourteen. This is before Season one( the whole 2010 thing should give it away). I obviously had to change the Phantom timeline for this to work, so this list will help explain most of the timeline for my story:**

April 19, 1995: Danny was born. Special thanks to Dragonblaze66 who pointed out that Danny Phantom wiki had updated to show Danny's birthday. I swear that it was not there when I last updated this story with Chapter 5. But it also said that is was in 1997 so...

April 1995- July 2009: Danny grows and tries to live a normal life...and fails.

July 25, 2009: Danny gains his powers

August 2009: Danny starts high school. Episodes "Mystery Meat" "Parental Bonding" "One of a Kind" "Attack of the Killer Garage Sale" "Splitting Images" "What You Want" "Bitter Reunions" and "Prisoners of Love" happens.

September 2009: Episodes "My Brother's Keeper" "Shades of Gray" "Fanning The Flames" "Teacher of the Year" "13" "Public Enemies" "Lucky In Love" "Maternal Instincts" "Life Lessons" and "Million Dollar Ghost" happens.

October 2009: This month has the most change. "Memory Blank" happened first and thus Danny had his logo for the rest of the storyline. Episodes "Flirting with Disaster" and "Micromanagement" were moved to this month. Episodes "Control Freaks" "Doctor's Disorders" "Pirate Radio" and "Reign Storm" happens. Note: Episode "Fright Knight" happend in the middle of this month. Holloween happened after this, thus the plot changed a little.

Then "The Ultimate Enemy" happens and my story begins.

**I hope this answered all questions about the timeline. ****It will be while before Danny joins the team or before the team is even created. Right now, the story is about Danny's struggle to adjust to his new life and grow as a hero and fighter. During this time, he will have to team up with and meet various members of the JL. This will gain their interest of him being in the team despite the fact that he has no connection to the any superheroes or super villains.**

**2. Colossus is an OC. Many of you probably realized that he is based on many battle loving characters from other series. There will be a few other OC ghosts like him (S-rank I mean), but they will all have different powers and personalities.**

**Thank you all for reading and remember to...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	7. Trust

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Learning to trust is one of life's most difficult tasks." Isaac Watts

* * *

><p>Chapter 7: "Trust"<p>

(Tuesday-January 19, 2010)

Everything was so foggy. Nothing seemed real. There was only grey mist and silence.

'What happened? Last thing I remember is talking to Ember…Yeah, I said no to her. Hope she doesn't take revenge or anything…But that's not all there was. I…I was in a fight….With who, though?

'I remember that Val was there. Then…then…Colossus. That's right we fought that huge ghost…Val was knocked out…Cujo was hurt…Dani took them away…I lost badly…

'…Damn…Damn it all to hell…I lost…I lost completely and utterly…Am I really this weak…All that training and no results…I fell so pathetic and alone…' Danny thought.

"…nny!…Da…Danny!" A voice called out to him. Even in all this silence, though, it was still hard to hear.

Slowly, the fog began to fade and the terrible silence was broken by the noise of reality. Then the pain hit. It wasn't as bad as before. This time, Danny could make coherent thoughts. Nevertheless, the pain was still there and it was rather annoying.

"Ung…" Danny groaned as he tried to open his eyes. The lights were too bright and were hurting his over sensitive eyes.

"Danny!" The cheerful voice of little girl met Danny's ears. "Dad! Danny's awake!"

"Not…so loud…" Danny mumbled. The new noise was causing his head to throb.

"Oh…sorry…" She was still too loud, but Danny couldn't bring himself to admonish her again.

"Hello, Little Badger," Vlad was now by him. "It's good to see you awake and still half-alive."

Danny could now open his eyes. He looked over to the two other halfas. Why were they in their ghost forms? "Hey…How long was I out?"

The two shared a look, then Dani spoke, "…Four days…"

"…You better not be messing with me. Because if you are joking, so help me…Ung, my arms…" Danny grimaced at the pain in his arms and looked around. The room seemed to be covered with ice. Various…pods…tubes…something. Where was he?

"It is no joke, Great One," Frostbite walked over and smiled. "Plasmius, young Phantom, and your friends brought you here four days ago. You were in very bad shape, luckily we were able to patch you up mostly. All of your life threatening injuries were taken care of, but your arms and your ribs will not work well for another few days at least." Frostbite explained.

"Man…Thanks so much for your help, Frostbite," Danny thanked his friend.

"It was not trouble at all! My people and I were glad to help a good friend!" Frostbite smiled. "But I do have to question your judgment in fighting Colossus. His power is very close to matching the Ghost King's power. Plus, he doesn't have to use a power source, but he does tire far faster than Pariah Dark. The Ghost King could fight for months if he had too…Sorry, I'm rambling."

Danny laughed and then groaned in pain. Wow, his side hurt like crap. "It's okay. It was pretty stupid, really."

"You did great, though!" Dani piped in. "Colossus actually stopped by here to check on you. He asked if you were okay and told us how you dislocated his jaw."

"Yet another achievement to add to your list, Oh Great One," Frostbite laughed.

"Yeah, I got a lucky hit in during my ass kicking…" Danny groaned.

"Luck is part of the battle, Daniel." Vlad noted. "In all honesty, luck wasn't really on your side during that battle. Considering that, you were already exhausted beforehand…I must apologize for not stepping in, though."

"…It's okay. I never expected-" Danny was interrupted by Vlad.

"I was going to help you and stop Danielle from getting involved." Vlad glared at the clone. "But after I saw her flying away with Valerie and Cujo, I noticed that some reporters and civilians were considerably too close to the fight for comfort. I moved them away from the area…then I had to calm them down. Apparetnly, I look like a vampire." Vlad shook his head.

Everyone else snorted.

"Your Haunting Aura knocked them out before they could ask too many questions, though. I made sure to shield them from the majority of it, but normal civilians cannot handle that level of mental stress. No harm done, but I would be more careful next time." Vlad shrugged.

"Thanks for the help, Vlad. I kinda lost control there." Danny smiled at the older halfa. A few short months ago, Vlad would have scoffed at the idea of helping others like that

"It was a pleasure. But we will have to find a way to make sure something like that doesn't happen again." Vlad nodded seriously.

"Danny!" Klemper's voice interrupted the conversation as said ghost rushed into the room.

"Klemper! I'm still injured!" Danny stopped the incoming hug.

"Oh….sorry Danny. Got carried away there…personal space, right?" Klemper corrected himself.

"Yeah, personal space," Danny sighed in relief. He doubted that he could survive one of Klemper's hugs.

"Your friend here has been a joy to have around, Great One." Frostbite but his hand on Klemper's shoulder. "He and my people have gotten along very well over the past few days. I am surprised that there is another ice ghost in the Ghost Zone. Especially one that is a friend of you."

"Yeah, life is full of coincidences." Danny tried to get up, but realized that one: he was in his ghost form and two: his suit was gone. He could understand the ghost part. Frostbite's medic team must have transformed him to help him heal, but that did not explained the being in his underwear part. "Uh…Where is my suit?"

"…It was torn and ripped. We repaired it, but we would not suggest fighting in it." Frostbite suggested.

"…Great, I'll need to get a new one…" Danny grumbled.

"Don't worry, Danny," Dani spoke up. "We got you a new one!" She then handed her a package.

Danny took it and inspected it, "This isn't something stupid as a joke, right?"

"…I wanted to do that, but Dad…" Dani looked at Vlad.

"…said no…" Vlad finished as he glared at his adopted daughter.

"Okay, then…could I have some privacy, please. I am kind of half naked under the blankets."

* * *

><p>Changing into his new clothes was very difficult. Some part of it was sentimental reasons. He had died in his old clothes. It was hard not to be attached. But considering that he would still have his old jump suit, moving on wasn't that hard. No, what was really hard was trying to put his two still healing arms into the sleeves.<p>

Yeah, that was not a fun experience.

Eventually, Danny finally did get his new clothes on, and he was quite pleased. The new clothes were not skin tight suit. His new black pants were made of a jean like martial and had a long white stripe on each side all the way down to the bottom where white flames danced around the trimming. His boots were white on the top half and black on the bottom half. Danny now wore a sleeveless black shirt with white stripes and his signature DP symbol on the front. What was really new, however was the trench coat. His trench coat was black but had white on the trimming and on the seams. The back of the coat also had his symbol, but this one was surrounded by a pentagon.

In all, Danny thought he looked pretty badass.

"Wow, Danny!" Dani said as Danny exited the building. "You actually look cool!"

"…I didn't before?" Danny raised an eyebrow.

Dani blushed, "Ugh… yes?…"

Danny laughed, but was interrupted when Vlad extended something to him. It was a belt…no…It was the disguise belt he had been working on.

"I know you wanted to finish it, but with what happened, I thought it would be best for you to have it as soon as possible." Vlad told Danny.

"Thanks." Danny understood perfectly. A battle like the one he had with Colossus was the exact reason he thought of the belt in the first place.

Danny took the black metallic belt from Vlad and put it on. In an instant, whit rings went around it and change its color to white.

'Good, Vlad remembered that I wanted it to change when I change. Wouldn't want something insignificant like that to ruin my secret identity,' Danny nodded to himself as he turned the belt on. At first, nothing seemed to happen, but then…nothing seemed to happen.

"Wasn't it suppose to do something?" Klemper asked.

"It did," Danny grinned as white rings transformed him into a human. This time, he still looked completely like Phantom.

"…So, that's it?" Dani asked.

"That's it. Nothing supper fancy." Danny transformed back.

"Looks pretty fancy to me…" Valerie's voice sounded out to Danny.

Danny froze. Slowly, he turned his head to see Valerie in full ghost hunter uniform. The only thing he could think was, 'Oh, crap.'

"H-hey there Red, how long have you been here." Phantom looked desperately to the others in the group looking for help. None of them looked even a little shocked. Did they not see the ghost hunter in front of them.

"A few hours. I didn't know when you would wake up, so I came to visit every day since the fight." Valerie acted as if it was obvious.

"But how did you get into the Ghost Zone?" Danny's still tired brain didn't really process the fact that his old nemesis was actually worried about him.

"She used our portal, of course," Vlad stepped forward. "She very well couldn't use the Fenton Portal. It is in lockdown."

"Our portal…" Slowly, the truth dawned upon Danny. Valerie knew. "Oh…"

"Your right, oh." Valerie glared at the half. "I can't believe-"

Vlad quickly interrupted her. "I think that this is a conversation you two should have alone. The rest of us should go inside." The elder halfa looked over to Frostbite.

The yeti ghost nodded. "That would probably be for the best. Come, we are preparing a feast for the awakening of the Great One. My people might need some help."

The group left, but Dani and Klemper looked back and gave an encouraging nod to Danny. Now, Danny was left alone with what could be an angry ex-girlfriend. Danny really hoped that there would not be a fight.

"…Great One, huh?" Valerie crossed her arms in front of her.

"Yeah, they call me that because what happened with the Ghost King." Danny shrugged.

"I know. It's just that…You as the Great One? A year ago, I would have laughed, but now…I kind of agree." Valerie surprised Danny.

"You do?" Danny was wide-eyed.

"…Yeah, you fight ghosts. You save people. You…you…you didn't tell me." Valerie gave him a look of sadness.

"I'm sorry, Val. I couldn't tell you. I wouldn't be able to stand it if you hated both parts of me." Danny looked down at the ground.

"…I do understand that. I was pretty hateful to both sides of you, at one time. I wouldn't have told you either, but…it's so hard to believe. Danny… you're dead." Valerie gained sad eyes.

"Yes, I am." Danny confirmed.

"…Mr. Masters and Dani explained about halfas. They told me how you and they are half human and half ghost." Valerie rubbed her arms.

"They told you?" Danny was shocked.

"Not all of it, but enough." Valerie shook her head. "I was a little afraid, at first. I though Mr. Masters was going to threaten me. But Dani calmed him down and reminded him that even if I did tell anyone, no one would believe me. I still think that he still suspicious and paranoid about me knowing, though. He really cares about you and Danielle a lot."

"Yeah, he does," Danny nodded.

"Everything makes so much sense now. How you knew my secret identity immediately. How you can escape so fast. How you can get past ghost shields. Not to mention why Fenton would trust Phantom so much." Valerie gain a look which said 'I can't believe I was so stupid.'

"Are you mad?" Danny questioned.

"A little. Not as much as the beginning. I had time to think it through. Use logic instead of emotion, you know. And…I'm sorry." Valerie apologized.

"You're sorry? I'm the one who lied to you constantly and was partly responsible for your family's troubles." Danny rubbed the back of his neck.

"I lied about being the Red Huntress. And you didn't mean to hurt my Dad's work. If it wasn't you and Cujo, it most likely had been some other ghost. Plus, I hurt Fenton emotionally and Phantom physically. Even when you were only trying to help and befriend me. I was in the wrong, I will admit it." Wow, apparently Valerie wasn't too proud to admit she was wrong.

"…Let's just call it all even and restart okay?" Danny gave her a small smile. "Soon enough, I'll probably do something stupid soon enough anyway and you'll be in the right again."

Valerie laughed. "Okay, but don't think that all this means that I won't still keep beating you at ghost hunting. I'm still the best ghost hunter." Apparently, all of this didn't affect Valerie's competitiveness.

"…As if, I could beat you any day of the week," Danny teased.

"You think so, spook?" Valerie smirked. "We'll put that to the test when-"

"Hey there, Babypop!" A voice interrupted Valerie.

"Ember?" Why were all the girls in his life trying to confuse him.

The siren ghost landed by the two and smirked. "Good to see you up, Danny. I thought that I would have to wake you up myself soon."

"Why are you here, ghost?" Valerie glared at Ember. "I thought I told you to stay away."

"You did, but I decided not to listen." Ember grinned at the seething ghost hunter.

"Why are you here, Ember?" Danny asked. "I thought you would still be mad at me."

"Mad? Naw. At least you acted like a real man and said 'no' straight to my face. Besides, I'm not one to give up so easily. Especially the things that are hard to get. That makes things even more fun and satisfying when you say 'yes'." Ember gave him a seductive look.

"Excuse me. We were having a conversation." Valerie stepped in front of Danny possessively.

"That's nice, but now I'm here, so Danny doesn't need you here anymore." Ember glared. "Why don't you leave now, Little Hunter."

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh…." Danny gained a confused look.

"I was here first." Valerie pointed out. "Besides, I don't think a hot head like you will do well in this place anyway."

"Oh! You're calling me a hot head? You're the one going around in a red suit shooting stuff. Besides, I have experience in this kind of area…I'll have my revenge for that latter by the way, Danny." Ember must not have forgotten when he trapped her with Klemper. Back when Klemper was annoying and she was trying to take over the world.

"See? You still act like Danny's enemy. After you trying to take over the world twice, I can't trust you alone with him." Valerie stood tall.

"And who was the person constantly try to kill Danny? Oh! That would be you…so, yeah. You lose in that argument." Ember grinned.

"I apologized!" Valerie shouted.

"I apologized first!" Ember shouted back.

Danny took a step back in fear. It looked as if sparks were about to go off between the two. Poor Danny didn't even realize that they were about to fight over him….Clueless…

"Excuse me," Frostbite's voice interrupted the two girls. The three all turned to the large ghost. "The feast is ready, so I think it would be best if we postponed this disagreement."

Danny sighed in relief, but the two girls were still upset.

"It will only take a few more minutes, Mr. Frostbite." Valerie glared at the female ghost again.

"Yeah, Ice Cube. We will be right there." Ember glared back.

"I said…" Frostbite smiled and let loose what felt like a…calming and happy Haunting Aura. "…that the feast is ready,"

Both girls relaxed and smiled. "Okay, lets go eat." "Yeah…good idea…"

"Excellent!" Frostbite cheered.

'Wow,' Danny thought. 'Frostbite is S-rank…I knew he was powerful, but…well, glad he's my friend. Last thing I need is a new powerful enemy.'

* * *

><p>The feast was amazing. The yeti people had gone all out. Various dishes from various nations and lands had been set all around. Everyone was smiling and laughing from their various tables. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves.<p>

Danny had barely noticed, though. He was too busy trying to stuff as much food down his throat as possible…What! He had been asleep for four days after a battle that pushed him past his limits. He was hungry!

"Yahayahayaha!" Frostbite laughed from his place next to Danny. "It is always good to see a guest enjoy himself!"

"Jeez, Danny slow down. There are ladies here you know." Valerie frowned at the halfa.

Both Ember and Dani looked up. Ember had been slurping spaghetti. Dani had been trying to feed herself and Cujo, who was on her head while in puppy form, at the same time. Neither said anything and just went back to the food.

"Don't be hard on him, Miss Huntress. This is the way of a warrior who just came back from battle! After a big fight, a warrior will rest. After pushing himself past his limits, a warrior will feast. After walking the line of death, a warrior will laugh and enjoy the company of friends! Yahayahayaha!" Frostbite grinned.

"…If you say so…" Valerie went back to her food. She obviously was still not at ease around ghosts. Even if those ghosts were nicer than most humans.

Danny finally came out of pile of food and said, "Sorry, Val. Didn't realize how hungry I was."

"It's okay. Just slow down, please." Valerie said.

"Okay," Danny did slow down. Not much, really, but he did slow down.

Glancing around, Danny noticed how much some of the people here had changed. A few months ago, Vlad would never willing stay in a frozen wasteland, but now he was breaking bread and feasting here. At one time, Klemper would have been forced out of the land for being annoying, but now he had several ghosts laughing at his jokes. Not long ago, Valerie had a vendetta against all ghosts, and now she was sitting awkwardly around a whole village of ghosts.

Ah…progress.

"Great One…" Frostbite got Danny's attention. "I know that you are feasting right now, but there is something I would like to talk about with you in private."

"Okay," Danny wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up. "Let's go."

As the two walked away, neither of them noticed as Dani's eyes followed them. They and everyone else also didn't notice as the ghost girl tucked her puppy under her arms and began to sneak away.

* * *

><p>Dani stealth fully followed the two ghosts. Not that either of them were looking for followers. They were walking up to a large shrine like cave.<p>

"I didn't want to show you this with Plasmius here. The power in this object is infinite and many could succumb to its power, but he has changed since he was last here. I can only hope that my revealing this will not end in disaster." Frostbite commented as they walked into the cave.

"What is it, Frostbite?" Danny asked.

Dani peaked into the shrine and saw Frostbite put his hand on a chest. When the chest opened, a scroll levitated out of the chest.

"This, O Great One, is the Infi-map. It is a map of the entire ghost zone and all the entrances connecting the Ghost Zone from the Human World." Frostbite explained.

"There is more than the Fenton Portal and Vlad's Portal?" Danny questioned.

"Indeed. There are many natural entrances from your world to the Ghost Zone that only the Infi-map can reveal. For example, the area you call the Bermuda Triangle." Frostbite gestured to a triangle shaped portal on the Infi-map.

"That explains all the disappearances…" Danny mumbled. "It also explains how ghost get out of the Ghost Zone without using a man made portal. They find a natural portal and go out through that."

"Yes. Traveling ghosts can pass through a natural entrance. Yet, not necessarily form the time period that they wish to go to. Though, many ghosts know of portals that lead to the current time period." Frostbite nodded.

"So, the map doesn't just lead you to earth, but through time too?" Danny raised an eyebrow.

"The Ghost Zone is constantly shifting. Entrances appear at many different periods. Most only remain open for a short time until closing forever." Frostbite was very solemn. "In the wrong hands, the map can be very dangerous. And you must never stray from its indicated path."

"So…you don't want to tempt Vlad with this power, because he could be vulnerable to abusing its power." Danny squinted at the map.

Dani hid a gasp. Did they really think that her Dad would do that? He was a good person! Why would they suggest such thing!?

"Yes, although I can see that the darkness in his heart has faded quite a lot, something like this could bring it back up." Frostbite nodded.

"Yeah…but why would you show this to me. I'm just a teenager. I wouldn't be able to use this without abusing it either." Danny admitted his own weakness.

"Yes, but you admit it. That is already different than the majority of people who would use it. The reason I am showing you this is because of this." Frostbite took the map and pointed to an area deep in the Ghost Zone. "You see this? This is not a natural entrance. Someone is trying to drill into the Ghost Zone. They are failing, too. The entrance is constantly closing, but every day the entrance they drill is a little bigger. Eventually, they will succeed."

"The Guys in White…" Danny growled.

"Perhaps, but perhaps, not." Frostbite commented. "I have talked with an old friend, and he says that it is not them. He says they are working on a temporary portal, but do not have the means to drill into the Ghost Zone to make a permanent entrance like this."

"Who is your friend?" Danny asked.

"You have met him. It is Clockwork." Frostbite told the halfa.

Dani heard about Clockwork before. He apparently was the master of time and some kind of past with Danny. What was his purpose in all this?

"…Then the Guys in White aren't doing it. Clockwork wouldn't be wrong about this. But then, who is it?" Danny glared at the map.

"I do not know, that is why I am going to ask you to investigate." Frostbite pointed to Danny.

"Me? Why me?" Danny all but shouted. Dani was now intrigued. She could smell the adventure.

"Clockwork has many restrictions placed on him. He cannot interfere whenever he wants. And I have my people to worry about. If I go poking around, I could start a war and I cannot allow that to happen." Frostbite gained a very serious look.

"…I understand, but I don't think I should be the one to do it." Danny said. "I have the male Fenton gene of losing things. If I take that map, there is a good chance that someone else might get it."

"I was never asking you to take the map with you, Great One. I just need you to investigate and possibly stop the construction of the entrance." Frostbite place a hand on the halfa's shoulder. "Please, friend, this is an very important incident. You would be doing not only me, but also the whole Ghost Zone a great favor."

"I would be happy to help, but I don't know how I will be able to get in if the portal keeps closing…wait, friend…That's it!" Danny exclaimed.

"What is it?" Frostbite asked.

Dani leaned in closer to the entrance to get a better view. She was on her toes and the snow was starting to slide beneath her.

"I have a friend that can open entrances between the human world and the Ghost Zone at will. This is the perfect excuse to get him out of Walker's jail. I'll just need to figure out ho-" A shout interrupted Danny.

"Ahg!" Dani screamed as she slipped and fell on her side. She made sure not to land on Cujo, though.

"Dani!" Danny shouted in surprise. "Were you listening to us?"

"Ummmmmm…maybe?" Dani gave a sheepish grin. Cujo then wormed out of her arms and ran next to Frostbite in the cave.

Danny looked like he was about to get angry, but then just let out a long breath. "You shouldn't have followed us, Dani."

"It is all right, Great One." Frostbite cut in. "She obviously meant no harm."

"Yeah, but she knows better that to ease drop." Danny helped Dani to her feet.

"I'm sorry, Danny." Dani apologized. "I was just curious. And I never get to be involved with ghost stuff."

"Is that what this is about?" Danny sighed as he knelt next to his clone. "I told you. It's not safe for you to be out fighting ghosts."

"It's not safe for you! You're always out there alone! What happens if you get hurt again, and I wasn't there to help you?!" Dani exclaimed.

"I won't get hut again." Danny told his younger sister.

"You can't promise me that!" Dani shouted. "I could help you, Danny!"

"Danielle…" Danny looked back at Frostbite. "Now is not the time to talk about this…"

"Then when?!" Dani yelled in anger. "You and Dad say I'm too young for stuff, but if you keep delaying everything, I'll be an old lady by the time I am allowed to do anything!"

"…Soon, Danielle. We'll talk about this soon. At home, though. And when my arms don't fell like they been shoved through a wood chipper." Danny compromised.

"…Fine…" Dani mumbled.

"Sorry about that, Frostbite. I'll find a way to get my friend, then we'll come back." Danny stood and turned to the other ghost.

"Do not worry. This isn't a major problem right now, but in a few months it might become a disaster. I would suggest, though, that you get ready as soon as possible."

* * *

><p>Danny groaned as he walked into his room. The trip home was terrible. Dani was mad at him. Valerie was on edge because Ember traveled with them. Klemper decided to stay in the Land of the Far Frozen for a while and Vlad was silently laughing at his predicament, so he had no support.<p>

The words "are we there, yet" defined that little trip.

After transforming back into a human and turning of his belt, Danny threw his torn human clothes into the closet. They most likely would have to be thrown away, but Danny couldn't bring himself to care at that moment. Then Danny put on some relaxing clothes (sweats and a superman shirt…don't you judge him) and flopped onto his bed.

The pain in his arms and ribs were still there, but there was no longer any physical signs of injury. His arms looked completely normal now. That was good. It would be hard to explain how he was hurt like that.

Now completely alone, Danny reflected on all that had happened. He got his ass kicked in a terrible fight. Valerie now knew his secret. Someone was trying to drill their way into the Ghost Zone. Tucker's PDA was broken…Dear God, Tucker's PDA was broken…

It may seem insignificant, but that was all Danny had left of his best friend. He had know Tucker for most of his life. He was a constant that was as close to family as a non-blood related person could get. Now…he was completely gone. Danny no longer had anything to remember Tucker other than old pictures and memories.

Danny felt a wave of hopelessness hit him. He kept losing everything. He lost fights. He lost loved ones…

'Well, crap…' Danny sat up and went over to his computer. The halfa turned on it on, typed in his password, and began to look through some his enemy files to distract himself.

He began to make one on Colossus. The large ghost may not be evil, but he was still a threat. He probably could take down the entire city with ease if he wanted to…

Halfway through his project, Danny thought about Colossus' last words to him after the fight. To use his frustration and anger to improve himself…it was a good suggestion. He needed to prepare himself for future battles…but he was already pushing himself to the limits with training as it is…

Danny sighed. There was that, then he had to free Wulf, then he had to get the equipment he had made for Batman to the Dark Knight…

According to Vlad, Batman had contacted him when Danny was asleep. He understood that Danny was injured, but had asked when the next batch of equipment would be ready. Luckily, all the stuff had been finished a while ago and the Dark Knight was sending someone to pick them up sometime soon…

Danny once again sighed. He would worry about all that stuff later. He was in no condition to do any of those things right now…

…But there was one thing he could do right now…

Danny closed the ghost files and opened the project files. The project files were all the information he had on his and his parents inventions. Most of the time, Danny just built onto his parents old designs, but maybe it was time to start branching out…

Making a new file, Danny thought about what would be the best name for what he had in mind. It would need to have style and flair. It would have to sound cool. It would…have to be in honor of Tucker.

Now that he no longer had the PDA or his phone, which was also broken in the fight, Danny knew had to have something to keep himself informed and to help him keep in contact with others. He could just bye something, but… that was not the Fenton way. Plus, he had to do something to make up for losing Tucker's baby…

'What would Tucker name it…well, that would be obvious,' Danny let a smile grace his face, but it soon fell back into Danny's cold depressed face.

Danny began to type on the computer when he heard a tapping sound coming from the window above his bead. Turning in confusion, Danny was shocked by what he saw. Jenifer was outside his window…but how? There was no tree or anything outside his window.

In a shocked daze, Danny made his way to the window to open the window. For a second, he observed the strange girl. She seemed to have climbed up the side of the mansion. The halfa finally opened the window. Jenifer then flung herself in and landed on his bed.

"Sup?" Jenifer asked.

"Well, you showed up and…yeah…Why are you here, by the way?" Danny raised an eyebrow.

"You never called me." Jenifer glared at him as she sat on her bed. "That is unacceptable."

Danny inwardly grimaced. It wasn't like it was his fault. He had been unconscious for four days. "I'm sorry, but some things came up."

"What things?" Jenifer questioned.

"It's complicated…Wait a minute! I barely know you. Why are you giving me the third degree. So I didn't call you, it's not like no other person hasn't done that before." Danny realized the situation.

"No excuses. I gave you my number and told you that I wanted you to give me a tour around the city. You agreed and thus you will take me out." Jenifer nodded at her logic.

Danny once again sighed, "Look, I know what I said, but I'm tired and…" Danny trailed off.

Jenifer was now pouting. Her eyes were big and her lips were trembling. She was giving him a look that could make even the hardest of hard asses give in.

"…Fine…let me get dressed." Danny went over to his closet.

"Alrighty then, Superman!" Jenifer saluted.

Danny grumbled, "Oh and you relax in your best clothes, I suppose."

"No, I relax completely naked." Jenifer teased.

Danny froze for a moment as that image ran through his mind. He could actually picture. Jenifer reclining in a chair. Her legs were creamy and smooth. Her….

'No! Fenton, no. Bad thoughts. Bad thoughts.' Danny mentally reprimanded himself. 'Stupid hormones…'

"Really…" Danny said weakly.

Jenifer laughed. "Hahahaha. Yes, Really!"

Pulling out a new hoody and hiding his groans of discomfort and pain, Danny said. "How did you even get up here anyway?"

"I climbed. It was rather easy with the way the building was designed. The hard part was finding your room. It took a few tries." Jenifer commented.

"Weren't you worried about falling?" Danny asked as he pulled his hoody on.

"Nah, there are shrubs around the place. If I fell, the bushes would have broken my fall." Jenifer told the halfa.

"Never thought of that…" Danny began walking to the door.

"You know? You have a comfy bed. I could just stay here all day…and maybe all night too." Jenifer sighed contently.

"Huh?" Danny turned and saw Jenifer spread out on his bed.

Error. Unable to process. Higher mental functions turning off.

Error. Hormones on a rampage. Look away now…Look away now…

Mental crash. System failure. Danger. Danger.

Reboot. Restarting motor functions. Fixing vocal problems.

Reboot. Stop gapping like a moron. Pick your jaw off the floor. Do not drool.

When Danny's mind finally restarted, Danny realized something, "…You're a huge tease aren't you?"

"Why, yes I am." Jenifer smirked.

Danny sighed. This is just what he needed. He already a hardcore ghost hunter and a rocker ghost siren to mess with him. Now he had a tease to deal with?

"Alright let's go then…" Danny looked back to Jenifer. "Are you coming?"

"…Let's go out the window." Jenifer climbed into the window seal.

"Why?" Danny questioned.

"Do you really want to explain to your guardian why there was a girl he doesn't know in your room?" Jenifer questioned.

"…Good point…" Danny walked over to the window.

"Great!" Jenifer grabbed Danny and pulled him out the window with her.

"Wai-Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Danny yelled as he was forced out of the room. He tried his hardest not to let his voice crack from both the surprise and the intense pain in his arm.

A few minutes later, a knocking sound came from the door, "Daniel? I just got a message from your bat friend. He is sending someone over to pick up the equipment…Daniel?"

Vlad slowly opened the door. "Daniel? Are you in here?"

He received no answer. 'Daniel must have went out on patrol or something…He should know better…He's injured after all…'

Vlad sighed and was about to leave when he noticed that Danny's computer was on. That was unusual. Danny always turned his PC off before he left. Deciding to turn of the computer himself, Vlad walked over to the PC.

As he was about to turn the device off, Vlad noticed that a file was opened. Curiosity getting the better of him, Vlad read the text and was surprised.

"What on earth is a Tucker Phone?"

* * *

><p>"Would you put that stupid hood down," Jenifer once again pulled Danny's hood down from his head.<p>

"Stop that!" Danny quickly brought his hood back up.

"You look ridiculous like that." Jenifer complained. "Are you trying to be a ninja or something?"

"Or something…" Danny mumbled. "Look, I do it because I don't like to draw too much attention to myself."

As of this moment, the two had already been through most of the city. The streets were easy to navigate and Danny knew all the short cuts. Most of the trip had been uneventful. Except for the zoo…a certain gorilla remembered him…

Throughout their tour, Danny couldn't help but wonder why he had agreed to this. Sure, he was having a good time, but the whole situation was weird. He rarely did anything like this anymore. Yet, he had agreed to give a tour to a complete stranger.

Why did he do that? It wasn't like he had never seen a girl pout before. Dani did it all the time, and she was the master at it, too. Danny had just felt compelled to be with this girl. It was unnatural…like a spell or something…

"Why? You should relish in your fame. Use it to your advantage." Jenifer suggested.

"To my advantage? How can I do that?" Danny raised his eyebrow.

"Please…" Jenifer rolled her eyes. "You're a survivor and a hero! People trip over themselves trying to please people like you. Plus, with that kind of money behind you-"

"Is that what this is about?" Danny's eyes narrowed.

"What?" Jenifer looked confused.

"Money. Fame. Prestige." Danny stated. "Are you hanging around me for all that?"

"Huh? Why would you ask that?" Jenifer looked taken back.

"Not many people would willing hang out with me before the incident, let alone drag me out my window into the bushes." Danny stared intently at her. "I might seem rude here, but I don't get it. I have not really been the most friendly person lately. What other reason would you have to be around me except for fame or money?"

"…Alright, I know you've been through a lot, so I won't get mad…" Jenifer took a deep breath. "There are plenty of reasons I would want to be around you besides money or fame. You're different from the other guys in this city. You're funny, witty, brave from what I've heard, not afraid to speak your mind, and you have yet to ask me out or do anything inappropriate."

Danny snorted. "I've had feminism shoved down my throat all my live. I know better that to do anything that would get my but handed to me by a tough woman."

"Good to know." Jenifer giggled. "But you see, there are plenty of reasons. Plus, I just get this vibe from you…it's like you are meant for greatness."

"If you say so…" Danny mumbled.

"I do say so." Jenifer nodded. "If it makes you feel any better, I promise you on my very soul that I am in no way interested in your fame or money."

Danny stated at her for a moment, then nodded, "Okay…sorry about that…"

"Don't worry about it." Jenifer stated.

"Well." Danny stopped and looked up at an all too familiar building. "And the end of the tour…Fenton Works."

"Never would have guessed with the giant sign and huge space base on top…" Sarcasm dripped off of Jenifer's voice.

"Yeah, my parents never were subtle." Danny nodded. His hood and hair the deep sadness in his eyes.

"It looks abandoned…Have you not been in there for a while?" Jenifer asked.

"Some…not a lot…not yet…" Danny almost whispered.

"…With it like this, aren't you afraid that someone will break in?" Jenifer looked concerned.

"No way, I activated the security system before I left. Any one that breaks in is toast and the only person who can turn it off is someone with Fenton DNA." Danny informed her.

"…Wow…" Jenifer mumbled. Danny didn't notice, but her eyes were staring at the building like a hawk.

Both of the teenagers remained there for a few moments. Each had their own thoughts of both the past and the future. So lost in their thoughts, they didn't even notice as someone approached them.

"Hey, Jenifer!" Danny and Jenifer flinched at this voice. They both turned and saw Dash Baxter walking over to them.

"…Hey, Dash…" Jenifer greeted unenthusiastically.

"You never answered me if you wanted to out on Saturday," Dash waggled his eyebrows.

Jenifer sighed. "I told you, Dash. I going out of town this weekend to visit my dad…You even listening this morning."

"Oh, yeah. I forgot…Well! That's okay, then. Let's just go get something to eat right now and we can talk." Dash's eyes quickly darted down form her eyes and back up again. Danny knew what the jock was doing and couldn't bring out any real feelings of indecency. Danny had looked at Jenifer a few times himself…What? He's a teenage boy for crying out loud.

"Sorry, but I'm kind of with someone right now and it would be rude to just walk away. Especially considering the fact that I dragged him out against his will…" Jenifer mumbled that last bit to herself, but Danny heard it.

Dash, however, did not. "I'm sure he doesn't mind. Do ya buddy?"

Dash then proceeded to push Danny back. Danny had to use all his willpower to not cry out in pain as he stumbled back. He was still incredibly sore from his fight.

"…No, not really…" Danny mumbled barely loud enough for Dash to hear to make sure the jock didn't recognize his voice. He really didn't want a confrontation with his old bully.

"See?" Dash turned back to Jenifer.

"Well, I do. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Okay, Dash?" Jenifer grabbed Danny's arm. This time, the halfa did let out a little groan of pain. "Come on, Danny."

As she was dragging him away, Dash asked, "Danny? As in Danny Fenton?"

Jenifer stopped and answered before Danny could. "Yep!" She then preceded to once again pull down his hood.

'For the love of God, woman!' Danny cried out in his mind. Why did she keep doing this? No one else hated on the hood like this!

"…Dash…" Danny nodded at the jock.

"…Fenton…" Dash greeted but did nothing else.

"Really? No Fen-turd? No Fen-tina? I'm surprised." Danny glared at his old bully.

"Look…I'm sorry about…everything that happened. If I knew what was gonna happen, then I wouldn't have been so hard on ya…" Dash responded.

"…I don't believe that you're really sorry…" Danny stared at the jock. "You fell guilty, yes, but that was because of that Nasty Burger incident." Danny's tilted his head down to hide the pain in his eyes.

"Hey! I'm trying to apologize here!" Dash looked output. "The least you can do is accept."

"No. The least I can do is nothing," Danny sighed and decided to be the bigger man. "..I…I do accept your apology, but it won't change anything. Tomorrow, you will go and be the same guy you always been. You will strut down the halls and treat everyone else like dirt."

"That's just the way things are! It's the law of the jungle. I'm stronger and better looking than them. I'm better than them, so I get to be at the top." Dash voice his beliefs.

"So it's your right to look at them like bugs?" Danny questioned. "They're people too, Dash. They feel pain when you punch and mock them. Even if you think they don't.

"You once told me that these are your glory days. Everything goes downhill from here. That might be true if you keep going like this. You have tons of bad karma coming your way, Dash, but it's not to late to change.

"I believe that everyone deserves a second chance, but will you even use your's? You've been a jerk to everyone and you enjoy every minute of it. That is not something that is easy to stop." Danny pulled his hood back up.

"I…" Dash's voice died in his throat.

"Think about what it is like to be the people you pick on, because if your football career is ended early, that is how it will be for you. Ask your self. Is this the person I really want to be? If it is, good for you. I hope you're happy. If it isn't, get your act straight and start acting like the leader and role model you're supposed to be." Danny turned and began to leave a stunned Dash behind him.

Quickly, Jenifer began to walk with him in silence. She stole a few glances at the halfa. Danny couldn't exactly recognize the look on her face, but it looked like…admiration and want…

Before he go to far, Danny stopped. Without turning, he said, "Our lives are shaped by our choices Dash. Think about how you want to shape yours."

* * *

><p>"I'm impressed," Jenifer broke the five minute silence that the duo had been building. "You actually shut Dash up."<p>

"It's just something that needed to be said," Danny grunted. "I would have preferred not to say anything but…I think that saying nothing about an injustice is sometimes in itself a sin."

"Pretty noble of you," Jenifer noted, "But it seems rather out of character. Don't get me wrong. Dash needed to hear that, but you and your whole hidden demeanor never gave me the sense that you were that outspoken…I knew that you were brave and had a hero complex, but…"

"Looks are deceiving," Danny pointed out.

Jenifer giggled, "That's true. Can't argue with that."

Once again, Danny felt that Jenifer was laughing at a joke that Danny didn't understand. Jenifer Laughed at the oddest things ad when asked about it, she said that it was nothing. Danny would usually become paranoid, but his ghost sense didn't go off and plenty of people had inside jokes. So, he dismissed any thoughts of paranoia.

"Well, this is my stop." Jenifer stepped onto some stairs leading to an apartment building.

Danny didn't even realize that they were heading back to her home. She must have discretely led him this way. Either that or it was just a plain coincidence…

"Alright, I'll just-" Danny was interrupted by Jenifer pulling his hood down. "Why do you keep doing that?!"

"I don't like hoods. They hide your face and eyes. I like to know where people are looking at. When you have that hood up, I can't look you in the eyes. Sooooo….I think that you should keep the hood down." Jenifer gestured to his hood.

"That doesn't give you the right to pull his hood down whenever you want." Danny grumbled.

"Maybe…just keep your hood down, okay?" Jenifer pouted again.

Danny was once again hit by a compulsion to agree with her. This time, however, Danny froze over these feelings. A wave of cold stopped the immediate "yes" that was already forming on his lips.

Danny pulled his hood up defiantly. Jenifer seemed surprised. It was almost as if she never expected him to say no.

"No, I…" Danny trailed off in thought. He had originally wore the hood to protect himself from the outside world. Now, though… now the world seemed to want something form Danny as both Fenton and Phantom and he was acting like a coward and hiding. A Fenton doesn't hide. A Fenton stands defiantly before all opposing forces.

Danny sighed and pulled down his hood. It was time to step up and take whatever life threw at him. "I guess you are right. I don't need to hide behind a hood…"

The look of surprise faded from Jenifer's face and was changed into a brilliant, beautiful smile. "Great!" Jenifer leaned in and gave Danny a small kiss on the cheek. "This time, I'll call you, because you've proved yourself irresponsible."

"My cell phone broke!" Danny shouted indigently.

"Then I'll just look up your home number. Bye Danny, see you later." With that, Jenifer opened the door and began to enter the door. Before completely closing the door, Jenifer blew a kiss playfully and giggled.

Walking away, Danny chuckled. He had to give it to Jenifer. She made him laugh. It was a quality that Danny was beginning to appreciate more and more.

As he began to head home, Danny gained a little fantasy of sleeping in his bed. It had been a long and confusing day. He was still sore. All he needed now was a good long rest-

Danny gasped out a wisp of blue mist.

'Oh, come on! Now!? What did I ever do to deserve this? I don't remember ever kicking a puppy or anything…' Danny mentally wept.

Quickly looking around, Danny spotted an nearby alley way. Running behind a dumpster, Danny took a good look around to make sure no one was watching. Then, "I'm going ghost!"

A bust of whit light later, Phantom rocketed out of the alley. After reaching a high viewpoint area, Phantom scanned the area. There didn't seem to be any chaos or destruction. A ghost was around but where…there!

A small, thing ghost was flying through the sky. He seemed completely ordinary with green skin, red eyes, and tiny body. The weird thing was that the ghost seemed to be running…err floating…in a desperate attempt to get away from something. Danny recognized this sign. It's a trap!…

'Heh, Star Wars reference-focus Phantom focus!' Danny reprehended himself mentally. 'This is most likely an attempt to draw me out…Usually I wouldn't mind fighting Skulker, but I'm sore and tired right now…Maybe I could get the jump on him and capture him stealth fully' Danny turned invisible and slowly circled around. He made sure to stay a good distance away from the distraction ghost. Examining the surrounding area, Danny tried to spot Skulker. Usually, the hunter ghost perched himself in a high area…

After a few minutes, Danny saw nothing. Maybe it wasn't a trap. The small ghost could be out for a joy run, but Danny's instincts were still telling him that something was up.

'Maybe I should just go home. Skulker won't hurt anyone other than me…well at least when he isn't fighting me…It won't hurt anything to postpone this a few days…' Danny was about to leave when the ghost he was following was suddenly sucked up onto a nearby roof.

For a moment, Danny thought that it could be Valerie, but soon dismissed such thoughts. The Red Huntress usually gave ghosts a sporting chance. She didn't just suck up ghosts without some kind of confrontation.

'Found you…' Danny smirked.

Slowly, Phantom approached the roof. Skulker was obviously not using a sensor. If he was, he would have spotted Danny by now. That means he was going by sight and could easily be sneaked up on…

"…at it for hours." Agent K's voice caused Danny to freeze. "He obviously isn't coming out today."

"He might still be injured." Agent O answered his partner. "You saw the battle cite. It looked like a war zone and Phantom couldn't have walked away uninjured."

"That would explain his absense the past few days…" Agent K agreed.

As the two were talking, Phantom thought about the situation. These two had been looking for him all day. Not even a week ago, Phantom had fought those two. They were prepared, though. They used new skills and better technology that caused the halfa to falter some.

'I won't be able to win with hurt arms and ribs…but if I ambush them, I can take or break their new weapons and send a message.' Danny looked over the edge of the roof to see the two. They were still talking an had their backs to him…not that it mattered, Danny was invisible…

'I can freeze their feet to the floor and knock them out before they even knows what hit them…alright, time to do this,' Danny turned visible and began to prepare an ice blast.

A loud beeping sound alerted them to Phantom's presence, but it was already to late. Before they could even pull out a gun, their feet were already frozen to the ground. Unable to turn around, they were almost completely defenseless.

In an instant, Phantom was directly behind the two agents. His full intention was to slam the agents heads together to knock them out. Unfortunately, despite their seemingly incompetent behavior sometimes, the two agents still had government training.

All Danny felt was pain as he was flung by his arms in front of the two agents. His injured arms and ribs screamed in pain as Danny landed on the hard concrete. He couldn't dwell on this, though. Agent K and O had already drawn their guns.

As he rose and turned to his enemies, Danny saw the two pull their triggers. 'Crap! I'm in point blank position!' Danny screamed at himself mentally to move. Miraculously, he did.

Moving the minimum amount of space possible, Phantom merely tilted his head and twisted his body to dodge the ectoblasts. On complete experience and instinct alone, Phantom almost danced out of the way of the incoming shots. He was moving like a mad man trying to prevent any further damage to his person.

It was not enough, though. Several of the shots grazed him. One even hit his shoulder. Hissing in pain, Danny forced himself to keep moving. Stopping meant death.

"Oh no!" Agent K paled.

"You hit the containment device!" Agent O shouted to his partner.

"Me?! It was your shot that hit it." Agent K shifted the blame.

"…No it was Phantom…" Agent O pointed to the ghost.

"…Yes, in the report, we blame Phantom." Agent K agreed.

"I'm right here, you morons!" Danny yelled at the two agents "And what containment device?!"

"Well…" Agent O didn't have to finish his sentence. A large black and white rectangular device began to smoke and beep. It must have been used to hold all the ghosts they captured…and it was huge, too! How many ghosts were in there?

Danny voiced his thoughts. "Exactly how many ghosts are in there?"

"Hundreds," Agent K was desperately trying to get his foot out of the ice.

As soon as the agent said that, the device completely shut downed and opened. A wave of ghosts pored out of the device. They all screamed for joy as they obtained their new freedom.

Usually freed ghosts would flee as soon as possible, but this was not the case. They seemed to sense the weakened states of the three beings below them. Revenge fueled grins grew on each of the ghosts faces as they realized the situations.

Phantom quickly realized the severity of the situation. Hundreds of angry ghosts were out for blood. Their targets were the weakened halfa and the two immobile agents.

Danny took a good look around. None of the ghosts had moved yet. They were all waiting for one of them to react. Plans ran through Phantom's mind, but none of them would end well. Basically, he was completely screwed.

Danny cracked his neck and said, "Well, crap."

And everything went to hell.

* * *

><p>Dani in ghost form was sulking in her room as she stared down at the clothing on her bed. She had thought that if she got new clothes to hide her face, then she might get to go out and fight ghosts. The new clothes would hide her appearance more and hide the fact that her appearance was so close to Phantom's appearance, but she was never given a chance to tell her plan to Danny…<p>

"I can't be too mad…Danny had a big fight and Dad most likely wouldn't let me go anyway…" Dani spoke her voice to Cujo. The little green puppy was staring intently out the window.

The young clone sighed. She had superpowers and she couldn't even use them in a constructive way. The only thing she used them for was traveling through the mansion and training. How boring was that?

She should be out there. There were ghosts to fight. There were adventures to have. There was so much to do, and yet she was stuck at home like a prisoner.

It was all really depressing to the usually perky ghost girl.

She understood that she was young and that Danny and her dad just wanted to protect her, but she handle it! Dani was strong and she could fight…but neither Danny or her dad would deny that. They knew and recognized her strength. They…just couldn't handle the thought of her getting hurt.

It would kill her dad if Dani was hurt. And Danny…Danny wouldn't be able to go on.

Dani sighed and looked to the ground. Dwelling on all this was making her sad. Well if she was already in a bad mood, then it was probably a good time to get her homework done.

"Roof!" Cujo's booming bark made Dani jump.

Turning to her dog, Dani was surprised to see that Cujo was in attack mode. The ghost dog was letting out a deep growl as he continued to stare out the window. He was trembling, but from what Dani didn't know.

Suddenly, the dog's head snapped to her. For a moment, the dog just stared at her. Then, he looked back and forth between Dani and the window.

"What is it boy?" Dani looked out the window, but saw nothing. It couldn't be a ghost. No ghost was stupid enough to attack her father's home.

"Roof!" Cujo phased through the wall and flew out a few meters. The turned around and gestured for Dani to follow him.

Dani then realized something was up. Cujo was acting as though Little Jimmy was stuck in a well. This had to be an emergency. The young halfa knew that neither her Dad or Danny would want her to go, but…something was up and Dani had to be there.

Dani was about to rocket out of the room when she paused. Quickly glancing over to the bed, Dani saw the new clothes. This was the perfect opportunity to try them out…

Slowly, a victorious grin developed on the halfa's face. This was going to be good!

* * *

><p>Danny shouted in pain as he landed face first on the ground. Quickly rolling away, Danny continued to try to dodge the various attacks coming at him from all angles. Hundreds of ghost were circling him. While none of them were particularly strong, the small army attacking him was enough to easily overwhelm the halfa.<p>

When the ghosts first attacked, Danny had freed, grabbed, and carried the two agents away as fast as possible. Phantom could barely lift the two in his state, so all he did was take them to ground level. He had no idea what happened after that, though. They started to run down the street as fast as possible as soon as Phantom let them down.

Usually, Phantom would be concerned about the two defenseless humans…even if they were jerks…but right now, the halfa had to focus on surviving.

"Argh!" Phantom cried out as an ectoblast hit his side. The ghost hero's vision began to blur for a moment, but he kept moving.

Right now, he couldn't attack. He couldn't defend. All he could do was keep moving.

There was no plan at all. There was no time to think. There was no time to do anything other than run for his life. His stamina would run out soon, though. Then, there would be no hope.

Luckily, the cavalry arrived in the form of a enemy-turned-friend.

A group of ghosts were blasted out of the way as the Red Huntress flew into the fray. Dodging the various attacks aimed at her, Red Huntress raced towards Danny. When she reached him, the female ghost hunter grabbed the halfa and began to pull him out of the chaos.

"It looks like you needed some help," Valerie continued to dodge the ghosts' attacks. "Remind me. Who's the best ghost hunter?"

"This is not the time!" Danny screamed at Valerie.

"Later, then!" Red Huntress smirked under her helmet.

Flying out of the mass of ghosts, both Phantom and Red Huntress fired behind them to stop some of their attackers. This only stopped a few, though, and there were plenty more to take their place. The large waves of ghosts began to chase the two ghost hunters.

"What do we do?" Danny continued to fire at the ghosts behind them.

"With you injured, we can't fight them all. We'll have to ditch them and regroup!" Valerie focused on flying her hover board.

"Sounds like the best plan I've heard all day!" Danny yelled. "But how do we get away?"

"…Still working that one out…" Valerie said just loud enough for Danny to hear.

"Doing better than me, at least!" Danny struggled to keep his vision focused.

A pattern began for the next five minutes. Red Huntress focused on trying to get away. Danny would focus on blasting the ghosts behind him. Both of them were trying…and failing … to think of any way to get out of this mess.

"I'm kind of running out of steam here." Danny's glowing hands began to slowly fade.

"I know, but there's not much I can do!" Valerie growled.

"…We have to fight!" Danny gained a look of conviction.

"Are you nut?! If you hadn't noticed, there's an army behind us! There's only two of us and you're almost out of it!" Valerie exclaimed.

"We don't have a choice! They'll catch us soon if we do nothing!" Danny prepared himself. "If we go in with Fenton Thermoses blazing, we could capture a large portion of them. Maybe that will be enough to get them to run away!"

"And if not!" Valerie questioned.

"Then we capture them all!" Danny exclaimed.

"That's the craziest plan I have ever heard!…I like it! Let's do it!" Valerie smirked.

"Okay, on 3!…One…Two…" Danny tensed and got ready for what was to come.

"Three!" Both hunters shouted. Valerie turned and flew to the rioting ghosts.

Both hunters pulled out a Thermos and began to capture the ghosts. Very few of the ghosts were captured, though. In an instant, the two hunters were surrounded.

The swirling mass of ghosts was filled with laughter. They were now the ones in control. Without a doubt, they had won and they knew it.

Both hunters were still using the thermos, but the ghosts knew what they were doing now. Only about twenty-five ghosts were captured all together. That was only enough to make a dent in the total amount ghosts.

Standing back to back, the two hunters prepared for what came next. In unison, all of the ghosts fired an ectoblast. Danny tried to turn intangible, but he no longer had the energy. There was no where left to go for the hunters. It was over.

Things began to slow for Danny. He saw each of the blasts coming. He felt as Valerie tensed behind him. The only thing he heard, though was silence. Everything was quite. It almost seemed peaceful.

Danny was left to his thoughts for this brief moment. He thought of all that had happened over the past months. All the conversations and battles ran through his mind. This was as far as could come? He hadn't even gotten to his fifteenth birthday…

Yet, here was. Once again he was staring death in the face. The worst part of it, though was that he wasn't going alone. Valerie was going to suffer for his mistakes. That was what hurt the most.

For the second time that day, Danny felt completely pathetic and alone. Why was it that he couldn't win the most important battles? Why was it that he was always too weak?

These were the thoughts of Phantom as he awaited the barrage of blasts. Luckily, those weren't there last thoughts. Suddenly, Danny felt something grab his legs and pull him down. Unable to process what had happened, Danny was in a daze as he was phased through the road and down the street into an alley.

The next thing Phantom knew he being hugged by a smaller person. Looking down, all Danny saw was a black and whit bandana. He knew who it was, though. It was Dani.

"Dani… what are you doing here?" Danny questioned.

Danielle didn't answer his question. She asked one of her own. "Are you stupid!? Why are you fighting?! You're hurt you moron!"

"Wait, I-" "I don't care what your excuse is! You are not allowed to get even more injured!" Dani growled.

"…Sorry…" Danny apologized.

"Darn right, you're sorry…" Dani grumbled.

"Thanks for the save, Danielle…and you too, Cujo." Valerie eyed the huge attack dog beside her.

"It was mostly Cujo," Dani admitted. "He…knew that you were in trouble."

"Good dog," Danny petted the ghost animal.

"Yeah…" Valerie muttered. "…good dog…"

"We need to retreat, but…" Danny kneeled on the ground. "If we leave, those ghosts will destroy the city…"

"We can get Dad to help. He's probably still working in the lab. If he's here maybe we can win." Dani suggested.

"Yeah, that might be our…what are you wearing?" Danny finally took a good look at his adopted sister.

The ghost girl's clothes were almost the same. Now, though, Dani was wearing a black and white bandana to cover her hair and a black scarf with a white stripe down the middle to cover her face. The final change was the logo. She was no longer wearing the 'DP' logo. Instead, she had a white 'S' logo that was in a similar style with 'DP' logo's back flames.

"What are you the only one who change their style?" Dani questioned. "And when I'm like this call me Spirit."

"Wha?" Phantom was thoroughly confused.

"We can talk about fashion later." Red Huntress interrupted them. "We still have the rioting ghosts to worry about."

"…Right. We need a plan…" Phantom looked at the other three. "I've got nothing…"

"Me neither…" Red Huntress sighed.

"…Maybe we could-" Dani was interrupted by two blurs passing them and causing a huge blast of wind to pass them. "What was that?"

Suddenly, the blurs came back to them and answered her question. "Yeah, there! It looked as if you could use some help!" the red blur smiled.

"OMG!" Dani…err, Spirit squealed. "It's the Flash and Kid Flash!"

The blurs turned out to be the two speedsters. The Flash was dress in red spandex. His mask covered the majority of his upper face and head. Kid Flash was dressed in yellow spandex. His mask hid his face, but showed his red hair. Unlike the Flash, Kid Flash had a pair of goggles to protect their eyes. Both speedsters had a lightning bolt logo on their chests.

"Hey! A fan…Um, who are you?" Kid Flash tilted his head to the side.

Phantom answered for her, "This is Spirit…She's my cousin."

"Ghosts can have cousins?" Flash asked.

"Yes," Phantom and Spirit answered in unison.

"Okay, then." Flash didn't ask anymore questions. He respected their privacy.

"You know, three months ago this would have surprised me." Kid Flash rubbed his head. "But with all the hype spectralogy has been getting, nothing about you 'ghosts' will surprise me anymore…" He sounded very skeptical, though.

"Why are you here, anyway?" Phantom asked.

"Doesn't matter." Red Huntress interrupted them. "We really do need your help. There's a small army of ghosts we need to take down"

"Alrighty then!…Exactly how do we fight ghosts?" Flash asked.

"You're speed will help for sure," Phantom said. "Can you two make a whirlwind to separate the ghosts?"

Kid Flash snorted. "Of course."

"Alright, after you do that," Danny pulled out two Fenton Ghost Fishers. "Use these to tie up a the ghosts. They won't be able to phase through the wire."

"…This is a fishing pole…" Kid Flash bluntly stated.

"Good detective work, Sherlock." Phantom's voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"Thank you, Watson." Kid Flash rolled his eyes.

"Okay, you two," Flash stepped between the two before a sarcasm war started. "We need to stop those ghosts immediately."

"Right, let's go." Phantom nodded.

* * *

><p>Around the corner, Spirit watched as the two speedsters created a whirlwind to spread out the ghosts. It was amazing how fast they were. She couldn't even see them!<p>

Suddenly, the whirlwind stopped. All of the ghosts were separated throughout the street. That was when the real plan happened.

All six of the ghosts, ghost hunters, and speedsters went to work. In the space of a few seconds, over half the ghosts were either knocked out or captured. That time was all the remaining ghosts to regain their senses. Then the real battle started.

Spirit had already taken out five ghosts and was going six. A spring like ghost was jumping toward her. Quickly bobbing to the side, Spirit pumped ectoplasm to her left foot and lifted her leg. As soon as the ghost was right beside her, Spirit brought her leg down in a vicious ax kick knocking the ghost out

'Six down…a lot more to go…' Spirit smirked to herself. She was finally able to fight!

This time, five blob ghosts attacked her. They came at her at all sides. This only helped her though. Spirit shot up into the sky. After the five ghosts crashed into each other, Spirit sent a ball of ectoplasm into the pile.

Laughing to herself, Spirit took this moment to look around. The Flashes were running around and tying up all the ghosts. Cujo was blowing through the ghosts. Red Huntress was blasting groups of ghosts. Phantoms was capturing with the Fenton Therm….

"Phantom, look out!" Spirit blasted the ghost coming up behind Phantom.

Phantom looked shocked for a second then smiled. Flying over to Spirit, he said, "Thanks…I trust you to have by back, right?"

Spirit smiled. This is exactly what she wanted. To come out here and help Danny was the whole reason she trained with him in the first place. "Of course!"

"Alright, let's end this." Phantom smirked.

The rest of the fight was rather anti-climatic. The only thing the ghost had the advantage in was number. When the number was cut in half and the ghosts were separated, their advantage was completely wiped away. The ghosts were beaten and captured quite easily.

"Well, that was easier that I thought it would be…" Flash remarked.

"Those were weak ghosts." Valerie looked at her nails. "When they were no longer in one group, they can be easily cut down."

"Yeah, that was totally easy…" Kid Flash stood right in front of Red Huntress. "By the way, I'm Kid Flash. What's your name? Crimson Angel?"

Wow…was he flirting with her?

"No…it's Red Huntress." Valerie seemed surprised that a hero was flirting openly with her. "And not that I'm not grateful or anything, but…why are you here? Amity Park is a good distance away from Central City. Even if you have super speed…"

"Oh, we are just here..er…It's League business. I told Kid he could come because we both wanted to see ghosts. I think we got more than we bargained for." Flash rubbed the back of his neck.

Phantom and Spirit shared a look. The League business most likely had to do with Danny Fenton if the Flash didn't specifically tell them about it…They had to get back to the mansion.

"Alright, unless the League business has to do with us, then I think we should let you go. Thanks again, though. We really owe you one…"

* * *

><p>Danny sighed as he sagged into a chair in the living room. They didn't beat the Flashes to the mansion, of course. Luckily, Vlad distracted them long enough for them to get back home.<p>

Danny had hoped that the two speedsters would leave after he gave them the package, but no such luck. They had many questions about ghosts, especially the skeptic Kid Flash. Danny managed to explain most of it to them. Both seemed satisfied with the answers, but after hearing how a ghost is created…they seemed like they just wanted to leave.

Meh…Maybe they weren't as comfortable with death as Danny was…

Now, though, Danny had a different problem. Vlad was currently lecturing Dani AKA "Spirit." He seemed quite mad. His face had even turned red.

"…was an extremely reckless thing for you to do!" Vlad ranted. "You have no experience out in the real world and you decide to go fight a small army?!"

"…I'm sorry, Daddy…" Dani pouted as she hugged puppy Cujo to her chest.

"That won't work this time." Vlad stated flatly. "This time you went too far-"

"Vlad!" Danny interrupted him mentor, "Come on. She saved my and Val's lives. Cut her some slack."

"I will not." Vlad turned to Danny. "And you. You went out even though you were still injured. Why would you do that!? There was no reason…It was a girl, wasn't it?"

"What? Why would you say that?" Danny blushed.

"It was a girl…" Vlad sighed. "That is the only reason a exhausted and full teenage boy would willingly give up sleep…"

"Who was it?" Dani asked. "Are you dating Val again? Or are you going out with that Ember chick?"

"Don't worry about it," Danny stated. "This isn't even about me. This is about you, Dani."

"Oh, I thought you would forget about me…" Dani grumbled. "Should have kept my mouth shut."

"The important thing is that neither of you two should have gone out." Vlad turned to his daughter. "Especially you, Danielle. I have specifically told you…"

"Vlad." Danny stood. "You're wrong on this one. We both were, actually."

"What?" Vlad raised an eyebrow.

"We were trying to keep her safe by denying her part of her very being. Her soul tells her to go out and fight. It is part of her obsession and it is wrong of us to deny us that." Danny explained.

"She is only a little girl!" Vlad seemed outraged.

"She is also a halfa. If you hold her back, she will only resent you. And if it makes you feel any better, I will be out there keeping her safe." Danny said. "Plus, I've realized that I can't do all this alone. I will need help besides Val and there is no one I can trust more that Dani." "Ruff!" "…And Cujo."

"Daniel…" Vlad whispered.

"Please, Daddy," Dani pouted and made big puppy dogs eyes.

Vlad groaned.

"Ruff?" Cujo also had big trembling eyes.

Vlad groaned even louder.

"Please, Vlad." Danny copied the other two and made a pouting face.

"Daniel! Stop that! That's just wrong!" Vlad shouted.

Danny just laughed.

Vlad sighed. "Fine, Danielle can go and help you fight ghosts…But! I'll have to up your training to make sure you stay safe."

"…Is it too late to change my mind…" Dani whimpered.

"Yes."

* * *

><p>Omake 1<p>

(Thursday-January 21, 2010)

"Ha!" Spirit shouted as she kicked Youngblood out of the sky. Almost all day, the child ghost had been causing havoc while playing cowboy. Aparantly, he wanted revenge on Phantom for foiling his past plans.

All Spirit really heard was bla bla bla...so on and so forth...

"You...Uhm, what's the word?" The freckled child ghost was currently dressed as a cowboy.

"Rack! Yellowbelly." The parot turned horse ghost answered his master.

"But I can see her stomach! It's clearly not yellow!" Youngblood waved his arms around for emphasis.

"It's an...oh, forget it." The skeleton horse ghost sighed.

"I'm here to fight Phantom, not a little girl!" Youngblood pointed at Spirit.

"We're, like, the same exact age!" Spirit did not like being called little.

"I've been like this for ten years!" Youngblood shouted. "Staying young and having fun is part of my obsession!"

"That doesn't concern us, Youngblood." Phantom's voice sounded behind Youngblood and the skeleton horse.

The two ghosts whirled around, but it was too late. Phantom grabbed both ghosts before they could get away. "Now, Spirit!"

Spirit pulled out a Fenton Thermos. "Pull!"

Phantom was about to throw them into the air when Youngblood spoke up, "Wait! I don't want to be trapped again! I'll just go back to the Ghost Zone, I promise. I was getting tired of playing cowboy, anyway."

Phantom glared at the two, sighed, and dropped them. "Fine. Just don't cause anymore trouble. Because if you do, I'll let Spirit fight you some more. And trust me, she does not fight like me. She'll turn you two into a giant pretzel...I'm not kidding either. She will cause you pain."

Spirit chuckled evilly.

Both Youngblood and his horse nodded frantically and and turned even paler. As quickly as possible, the two flew away. Spirit swore that she heard Youngblood mention something about playing astronaut.

"Good job, Spirit." Phantom complemented her. "Lets get goi-" "Phantom!"

Phantom cringed. As he saw a blond female reporter and a camera man running up to them. "Phantom! I'm Spring Whitiker. Who was the invisible enemy you were just fighting?"

"Youngblood? He was completely visible?" Spirit raised an eyebrow.

"He can't be seen by adults..." Danny rubbed his temples.

"Very interesting..." Spring noted. "And who is this girl?"

Phantom answered, "This is my cousin, and if you excuse us we-"

Spring once again interupted him, "Is she your new sidekick?"

"What!?" Spirit yelled in outrage. "No! If anything, he's my sidekick!"

"Really?" Spring's eyes shined in interest.

"Yeah! I'm the brains of this operation." Spirit smirked.

Phantom groaned and placed his hands on his face.

"Good! Phantom never answers any questions." Spring smiled sweetly. "Maybe you could answer some questions?"

"Of course!" Spirit stuck out her shoulders.

"What is your relationship with Red Huntress? Why does that ghost dog help you sometimes? Can you explain Phantom's new outfit?" Spring asked rapidly.

"Ummmmm..." Spirit's brain turned off.

"No comment." Phantom stepped between his partner and the reporter. "Come on, Spirit."

Phantom gestured for Spirit to follow him. As they few away, Spring continued to ask questions, but all of the questions were ignored.

"It is a bad idea to talk to reporters without thinking first," Phantom warned. "They will twist your words and ask difficult questions."

"Yeah, I understand." Spirit nodded. "...Hey, Phantom?"

"Yes, Spirit." Phantom answered.

"With the way I talk without thinking...I think we're going to need a publicist." Spirit commented.

Phantom just groaned. Wasn't that the truth...

* * *

><p>Omake 2<p>

(Monday-January 25, 2010)

Danny sighed as he continued to work on the Tucker Phone. So far he had made barely any progress. This was a lot different then ectoweapons. It had to lack the ability to hurt people...

Keeping that part out went against his Fenton DNA...

"Daniel," Vlad phased through the ceiling. "There is something you need to see."

"Okay..." Danny followed Vlad to the living room. "What is it?"

Vlad merely jestured to the television.

"What?...Oh crap..." Danny paled.

"Oh crap, indeed." Vlad agreed.

"Breaking news from Metropolis! The giant ghost from earlier this month has appeared in Metropolis." The reported said. "He appeared when Superman was fighting the villian known as the Atomic Skull. The ghost, who annouced himself as 'Colossus,' used what seemed to be a shock wave to knock Atomic Skull down a few blocks and then challenged the Man of Steel to a fight.

"Superman seemed relutant at first, but Colossus was persistent. Superman agreed to the fight, but only if it was over the bay where no one would get hurt. The battle that ensued was not seen by any witnesses. The various blasts of light and shock waves hid the battle from sight.

"About fifteen minutes into the fight, though, a plane began to fall about ten miles away from Metropolis. Superman proceeded to forfeit the fight and went to rescue the plane. Surprisingly, Colossus assisted Superman in landing the plane. Witnesses from the plane say that he said, and I qoute, 'I cannot let a worthy challenger lose because of an heroic act. If we both quit to save these people, then it was a tie!'

"After everyone was confirmed to be safe, Superman offered to continue to fight the ghost, but the ghost refused. He said that he was no longer in the mood to fight and flew off. There have been no sightings since his departure...In related new, Atomic Skull has disappeared since the incident earlier today. Be on the look out for..." Danny and Vlad stopped listening.

"...That was unexpected..." Vlad commented.

"...Why do I get the feeling that somehow in some way, this will come back to bite me in the ass?" Danny rubbed his eyes.

* * *

><p><strong>You asked for it. I provided. Dani has finally seen some combat. I really wanted to bring her in as soon as possible, but I had a plan and I have to stick with it. I gave her the vigilante name 'Spirit' because one, the whole Dani PhantomDanny Phantom and Dani Masters/Danny Phantom would make it easy for the geniuses in DC to figure it all out.**

**The fallout from Valerie learning Danny's secret may have been a little less dramatic then expected, but remember that she had some time to work it out for herself. She got the anger out on her own and thought logically.**

**Thank you all for reading and remember to...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	8. Beauty

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it."

Confucius

* * *

><p>Chapter 8: "Beauty"<p>

(Sunday-January 31, 2010)

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" A tall, buff ghost covered in armor screamed as he fled from the terror that was behind him. The attack had happened so suddenly. There was no warning from the beast behind him. One minute he was lifting trucks. The next he was being beaten to a pulp out by the monster that was now chasing him.

"Get back here and take your beating like a man!" Spirit yelled as she flew after what many would consider an intimidating ghost.

'Psh! What a wimp…' Spirit grumbled to herself mentally. 'I thought he was supposed to be tough.'

"Spirit!" Phantom's voice sounded from the Fenton Phones in her ear. "Quit playing around and just capture the poor ghost!"

"Where's the fun in that?" Spirit placed on hand on the new rectangular version of the Fenton Phones. Unlike before, the new design didn't look like puke ear rings. They were green on the sides, but white on the front. Despite their unusual shape, they fit in her ears very well and did not bother her at all…at least when Phantom wasn't talking…

"This isn't supposed to be fun. This is to help get Wulf out of jail." Phantom reminded his partner in crime fighting.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Stop being a joy kill. I'll go ahead and capture the stupid ghost." Spirit pulled out her Fenton Thermos and thought of how this man…ghost hunt began.

* * *

><p><em>Memory sequence begins<em>

_Spirit fidgeted as she walked down the hallways of the jail with Phantom. Both guards and prisoners were staring at the two of them. The guards had their weapons ready and were whispering to each other. The prisoners, however, were shouting various threats at Phantom, saying how they will kill him painfully._

_What a great environment for a ten year old girl._

"_I told you that you shouldn't have come." Phantom placed a comforting hand on Spirit's shoulder as he lead her to the warden's office._

"_I didn't think it would be like this…" Spirit glanced around._

"_We were going to a jail. What did you think it would be like?" Phantom raised an eyebrow._

"_I don't know…not like this?" Spirit mumbled._

"_Well, like if full of surprises." Phantom pulled his sister close and walked to the door of the warden's office._

_Leaning down, Phantom looked Spirit in the eyes. "Now, I and Plasmius said you could come, but this is the point where things get political. This is going to be a very delicate conversation. The only reason I got it was because of Plasmius' connections. And the only stipulation was that Plasmius was not to come._

"_This is bad, because I suck at being political. There is a good chance that I will say something stupid on my own. Your comments will only make this work and will kill any chance of freeing Wulf. So, please for the love of God. Don't. Say. Anything." Phantom sternly stated._

"_If I'm not allowed to say anything, why was I even allowed to come here?" Spirit asked._

"_In case things go South, I will need back up. Klemper and Cujo would be helpless here with all of the guards. Valerie is human and is not allowed. And Plasmius is not allowed to come. Plus, every guard here knows that Plasmius will kill them if something happens to you." Phantom explained._

"…_fine, I'll stay quite…" Spirit rolled her eyes._

"_Good, let's do this." Phantom stood, took a deep breath, and knocked on the door._

"_Enter." A stern voice sounded from the office._

_As they entered the room, Spirit received her first impression of Walker. He was a rather tall and well built individual. His white suit was perfectly cleaned and pressed. His pure white face was pushed down into a stern frown. His glowing green eyes were glaring at them._

_Spirit instantly felt the need to stand at attention._

"_Welcome, Punk. Did you finally decide to turn yourself in?" Walker asked._

"_No." Phantom led Spirit to two seats in front of Walker's desk. "I'm only here to talk."_

_Walker's eyes followed them as they sat down. "And what is so important that you would walk into the middle of my jail and risk your life for it."_

"_Wulf." Phantom simply stated._

"_Ah…" Walker acknowledged. "Your…friend is locked up nice and tight in solitary right now. Did you want to visit, because that's against the rules."_

"_No, I don't want a visit. I'm here to talk about a problem that Wulf can help solve." Phantom informed the warden. Spirit had never seen her brother have this good of a poker face._

"_A problem?" Walker raised an eyebrow._

"_Yes, someone is drilling a whole into the deepest part of the Ghost Zone. I need to find out who-" Phantom was interrupted by the warden._

"_I have no authority there." Walker stated._

"_What?" Phantom gained a confused look._

"_That is the home of the S-rank ghosts. Even if I allowed you take Wulf for a few hours, which I won't do by the way, it would only bring me more trouble than it is worth." Walker closed his eyes for a moment. "To allow you to take Wulf, I would have to have a squadron of guards to go with you. It would be seen as an act of war to those freaks of nature._

"_I might me able to easily handle one S-rank with all my guards, but there would most likely be more than one ghost attacking, probably even a small army. My jail, my guards, and my afterlife would become forfeit. It may be against the rules to drill into the Ghost Zone, another one of your offenses by the way, but there is nothing I can do about it without destroying the precious order that I have fought to preserve." Walker explained._

"_All right then, so you can't lend me Wulf." Phantom did not seem discouraged by this revelation. "I never expected that anyway. How about this. What do you want for his complete freedom?"_

_Spirit looked over to her brother, but before she could go into any deep thoughts, Walker spoke. "You in my prison willingly for the rest of your life."_

"_What!?" Spirit yelled in outrage. "There is no-" Phantom's hand covered her mouth._

"_You already know that I can't do that." Phantom kept his cool. "Is there any other deal we can make?"_

_Walker turned his chair around and had his back to them. "No. It's either you or him."_

"_I see. Is that a rule?" Phantom questioned. _

"_Not yet, but it soon will be…" Walker commented._

"_So, it is still up for discussion, then?" Phantom stood and placed his hands on the desk._

_Walker was silent._

"_Come on, Walker." Phantom pushed. "What did Wulf even do? I doubt it was that bad."_

"_He made several portals to the human world and forgot to close them. Several ghosts escaped to the human world. If I make a deal with you, there is no guarantee that Wulf will be more responsible then before. And from what I've heard, the last thing we need right now is more attention from the humans." Walker explained._

"_What about when you invaded Amity Park?" Phantom gave the warden a skeptic look._

"_I made sure no humans were hurt or killed, and the invasion was set in a concentrated area." Walker said. "It was all to make you look like the bad guy. It worked. You received all the negative attention form the invasion."_

"_Yeah, I remember…" Phantom sighed._

"_If ghosts begin to appear all around the world, though, instead of one location, then the humans will take extreme action against us." Walker said._

"…_Okay, how about this, then. I will give you my word that if Wulf leaves the portals open again, both him and I will return here and stay in your prison." Phantom stated._

_Spirit gasped._

_Slowly, Walker turned back around. "Your word?"_

"_My word." Phantom nodded._

"…_Alright, then." Walker walked over to a file cabinet and pulled out a file. "This is a file on ten wanted ghosts that I you to find. If you bring them all to me, I'll let Wulf go."_

"…_What did they do?" Phantom looked through the file. He didn't want to go hunting down ghosts that just wanted to have a peaceful afterlife._

"_We have unspoken rules that not even I have to enforce usually. Many of them would be what humans would be considered unspeakable…" Walker glared at his desk._

"…_I see…" Phantom mumbled. Spirit could tell by the looks on the two ghosts that she didn't even want to know what they were talking about._

"_These ghosts aren't all that powerful or dangerous compared to some of my other inmates, but they need to be tracked down and stopped before they do any more damage. I would go after them myself, but they fled to the human world to hide. Most of them will probably be hiding in the shadows of your city. Others might be in other well known city. They wouldn't be able to keep themselves in a quiet place for too long, so they won't be extremely hard to find."_

"_All right." Phantom gestured for Spirit to stand and spoke to Walker. "I'll find these ghosts…but what guarantee do I have that you will keep your end of the bargain?"_

"_My word." Walker stated._

"…_Fair enough. Let's go, Spirit." Phantom took Spirit's shoulder and began to move her toward the door. "I'll be back, Walker."_

"_I'm not going anywhere, punk." Walker watched them leave._

_Memory sequence end_

* * *

><p>"Noooooooooooooooo!" The armored ghost screamed as he was sucked into the Fenton Thermos.<p>

Spirit sighed. "Soooooooooo boring."

"You complain a lot." Phantom commented as approached his sister.

"Nu uh! You complain a lot!…Shut up!" Spirit grumbled.

"Okay, okay. Don't get all freaked out, small fry." Phantom placed a hand on his ear. "Klemper-"

"Small Fry?! I'll show you small fry!" Spirit tried to send a barrage of punches and kicks at Phantom. Before she could hit him, though, Phantom's other hand gripped her bandana covered head and pushed her to arm's length away.

"As I was saying, Klemper, we've got the ghost." Phantom spoke over the Fenton Phones.

"_Great!_" Klemper cheered from the station they set up in the mansion's lab. "_That makes seven. We almost caught em all!_"

"Do you think you can stop me with this?" Spirit questioned. She continued to try and reach Phantom, but she couldn't get close because of his longer reach.

"Yep. Any news on the last three?" Phantom inquired.

"Let go of me so I can hit you!" Spirit shouted.

"_None whatsoever_." Klemper sounded depressed.

"You jerk! Let do of my head already!" Spirit started to hit Phantom's arm, but he was unaffected.

"Don't worry. We'll get them. With everyone looking and with Vlad's recourses, it won't be long now." Phantom comforted his friend.

"Do you know who I am! I'm Spirit! I'm the girl that's going to burn your house down…with the lemons!" Spirit now was trying to pull away from Phantom's grip.

Phantom laughed. "Hahahah! Portal 2, huh? Nice reference."

"Thanks…now let me go!" Spirit cried out.

"Let me think about that for a second- No. Now come on. Let's go home." Phantom began to drag Spirit with him.

Spirit gained a shocked look. "What? The night is young! Come on, Danny! Let go! I'll kill you….Just let go…Please?"

* * *

><p>(Monday-February 1, 2010)<p>

"_Hello, this is Harriet Chin, __Milwaukee Journal__. How can I help you?_" Harriet's voice sounded through Danny's Fenton Phones.

"Hey, Harri! It's Danny." Danny spoke as he worked on cleaning an ecto-gun at his lab station.

"_Danny Fenton?_" Harriet sounded confused. "_Good to hear from you, but where are you calling from? My caller id. said that there was no information available._"

"Ah…" Danny realized what she was talking about as he finished cleaning the weapon. "My old phone kind of broke, so I made one of my own. Vlad hooked it up to his private satellites. That might be why no info was shown."

"_Oh…I understand…I guess…_" Harriet didn't sound like she understood. "_Not that I mind or anything, but you did call during my work hours. Is there a reason for the call?_"

"Yeah, remember back at Lex Luthor's party? You said that if I had any story I wanted out that you would make sure that the story wouldn't be twisted or altered." Danny told the reporter as he inspected his weapon.

"_I did. Do you have a story about the ghost activities that you want out?_" Harriet questioned.

"No, no ghost story," Danny said. Lifting up his gun, Danny shot a nearby target right in the center. "I have a new Fenton Works product I want the public to know about."

"_I thought you said you weren't going to sell weapons._" Harriet remembered Danny's words.

"What I'm going to sell isn't a weapon. These are Fenton Phones." Danny inspected the target he hit. The entire thing was scorched and smoking. Danny smiled.

The Fenton Phones Danny wanted to put on the market were different from the ones he was using. They still had the new design, but were not powered by ectoplasm. While they could not filter out ghost noise, they were still high quality head phones. Add in how easy and inexpensive they were to make and it wasn't that difficult to convince Vlad to help him put them on the market.

"_Fenton Phones, eh?_" Harriet sounded as if she was writing something down.

"Yeah, recently a friend helped me realize that I've just been hiding from the world. I think it is time for me to step out and take advantage of all the fame that I have." Danny remembered his talks with Jenifer.

"_Okay, then. Tell me what you want people to know and I'll get the news out there._" Harriet seemed ready to go.

"Allrighty then, the Fenton Phones-" "Beep! Beep! Beep!" Danny stopped when he heard the warning signal in his.

Progress with the Tucker Phone had been getting better in the past few weeks. The machine could now make calls and alert Danny to any ghost attacks either via the news or the various sensors that been hidden around town. Besides that, though, nothing else worked. None of the ideas Danny had for the device wanted to work.

…Stupid phone…

"_What was that?_" Harriet questioned.

"Uhn…something has come up. Sorry Harri, but I'm gonna have to call you back." Danny chuckled to himself.

"_You do remember that you called me…and please don't call me Harri._" Harriet requested.

"Yeah, but I kind of have an emergency to handle." Danny pointed out. "I'll call you back when everything is sorted out, Harri."

"_What did I just say about calling me tha-_" Harriet did not get to finish that sentence because Danny cut off the connection.

"I'm going ghost!"

* * *

><p>"<em>You sure that you don't need my help?<em>" Valerie offered her assistance.

"Yeah, I got this. It's only one ghost. He may have that huge axe, but size isn't everything." Phantom spoke as he viewed his new enemy from a near by roof top.

"_That sounds personal to me._" Valerie joked.

"Oh, ha freaking ha." Phantom mumbled. "Since when did you become a comedian, anyway?"

"_One: You've been rubbing off on me…shut up._" Valerie realized her mistake.

"Wow, I wasn't even thinking that…" Phantom's cheeks reddened.

"_Two: I am completely bored here. There's this rally about some beauty pageant. I think that my mind is going numb…_" Valerie sounded tired and bored.

"Sorry, but if I start pulling you out of school for the easy stuff, then Dani will start complaining. And that is that last thing I need." Phantom explained.

"_I understand, but that doesn't mean I have to like it._" Valerie sighed.

"Never asked you to." Phantom grinned as he canceled the call.

As he flew to the ghost, Phantom though about just capturing him without a fight. It would be easier, but it would be fair or honorable…Great, now he was channeling his inner Colossus.

The ghost before him was dressed like an executioner. He wore a skull mask over his head and had chest armor. The ghost had a massive build. To anyone else, this guy would be frightening, but Danny had looked evil in the face and lived….aka, an angry Dani. So this wasn't that bad.

"Hey, Axe Dude!" Phantom called out to his opponent. "You haven't really done anything, yet, so I have no problem with you. But! You are making a bunch of people freak out. If you get out of here now, there will be no- WOAH!"

The executioner ghost swung his massive axe at Phantom. Phantom flew back and dodged the strike. The executioner did not let up, tough. Phantom was forced to keep dodging.

Deciding he wanted his space, Phantom waited until the axe swung past him and then he lunged forward. An ectoplasmic enhanced kick landed on the executioner's side and sent the axe wielder back. The blow had its desired effect, too. The executioner was now holding his side.

"Hey! If you needed something you could just axe…Get it? Axe?…Man that was bad. I need a writer for my fighting banter." Phantom mumbled that last part to himself.

Suddenly, the executioner flung a rope at Phantom's feet. Before the rope caught him, though, Phantom grabbed the rope and pulled the rope out of the executioner's hands. Tossing the rope away, Phantom smirked.

"Oh, I get it now. The rope, the axe, the executioner outfit…you're a masochist!" Phantom's smirk turned into a big grin.

The executioner ghost seemed to blanch.

"Don't worry, I'm not judging. We all have weird things that we're into. This one girl I know for example…Hey! Wait! Where you going." Phantom's jaw dropped as the executioner ghost fled into the school.

"Oh, hell no! You do not get to get away from a fight with me that easily." Phantom's eyes turned blue as he chased after the executioner.

Quickly tackling the executioner, through the roof, Phantom froze the executioner's arms to his sides. The axe was stripped away from the ghost and he was left defenseless. Phantom ignored the gasps and screams from the high schoolers as he pulled out a thermos.

"On the bright side, you might actually like being crammed in a small container." Phantom mocked the executioner as he jammed the thermos in the ghost's face and captured him.

Finally looking around, Phantom realized that he was in the auditorium of the school. Everyone in the room was staring at him with wide eyes.

Phantom laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about that. I was in that fight. He ran away. We crashed through the roof…I'll be leaving now."

As he was about to leave, Phantom realized that the axe was still on the ground. Picking it up, Phantom thought to himself, 'Giant axe…Yeah, I can use this…'

"Wait! You're perfect!" A blond haired woman in a blue and green dress approached him. She had a hourglass figure and walked with grace.

"Thanks." Phantom said.

"Aren't you going to ask why?" the woman seemed surprise.

"No. I just take any compliment I can get. Questioning them tends to get them taken away." Phantom admitted.

The woman was a little fazed by this, "W-well, I was just looking for a valiant, courageous knight to pick out the princess for the beauty pageant! And who better than Amity Park's own superhero."

These statements were met with loud cheers of approval from the girls in the auditorium. Apparently he had a lot of female fans.

Phantom only got one thing from the blond woman's statements. "Hero? Well, it's nice to finally be recognized…"

"So you'll do it?" The woman had hopeful eyes.

"Sure…What am I doing again?"

* * *

><p>Danny had a lot of doubt about actually judging the pageant. Many would deem it as demeaning to woman. Many being equal to Sam, and to Danny that was all that mattered.<p>

He had, however, already agreed to be the judge. What kind of man would he be if he just backed out. Not to mention the fallout from the fact that the "hero" would be going back on his word. The media would eat it up.

So, he had two options. One: keep being a judge and do something that Sam would obviously disapprove. Two: Back out and loose all his credibility.

Both options really sucked.

It was a difficult choice. Danny thought long and hard about it, but he couldn't really decided. He went to Vlad for advice, but all he got was that this was his decision to make. Klemper wasn't much help, either. He was rather childish and naïve. He could go to Frostbite…nah…

With all the male options for advice gone, Danny was left with his female companions. Well, the ones that knew his identity anyway. The advice was helpful…well, some more than others…

Dani's advice:

"The main thing you need to think about is what you want to do. If you want to be the judge for this thingy, then go ahead. If you don't want to, then don't. It as simple as that. Now, could you explain what this pageant thing is?"

One explanation later.

"Well, that seems stupid. I can get that they want to be thought of as pretty, but why do parade in front of people like that? Wouldn't it just be easier to hang around a bunch of guys that would shower you in complements? This just seems like a vanity thing to me…"

Ember's advice:

"So a bunch of girls want to wait on hand and foot for you? You don't think that letting them is the right thing to do and you are asking me for advice? Are you stupid?

"If the girls are willing to be your servants, then let them! It's their choice to be in this pageant! Take advantage of it, Baby Pop!

"If I was in this situation, I'd make the most of it. I'd let them serve me like I'm their queen…king in your case…and enjoy it! No need to feel guilty, either. It's their choice in the end."

Valerie's advice:

"Well, you did tell that lady that you would be the judge. I think that a person should always keep his word, even if he doesn't want to do something. Unless this makes you really uncomfortable, that is.

"But I do know what this is really about. You know that Sam would be completely against this. She would get up in your face about this and tell you that you are doing the wrong thing.

"That was one of her worst qualities. Don't give me that look, Fenton. I know this is a sensitive topic, but you need to hear this. So, shut up and listen.

"Sam would always cram her beliefs down other's throats. She thought that her opinion was the only one that mattered. Usually, she had a point in a lot of stuff, but the problem was the fact was that she never tried to understand other people's opinions.

"You know what her opinion would be, so here's mine. This pageant thing is pretty stupid, but it is going to happen. If you aren't the judge, then some other guy will be. Not every guy has your morals, though. They will take advantage of the situation and those girls.

"Not with something stupid like homework or dates, either. They would push those girls to do things that they don't want to do and that is wrong. So, I think you should be the judge and stop that from happening. Keep this pageant clean and respectable."

How could Danny argue with that? He couldn't really. So he decided to just be the judge and stop anything bad from happening. It could be worse, at least. This could involve ghosts.

…Poor sucker will never see it coming…

* * *

><p>(Wednesday, February 3, 2010)<p>

"Okay, I did agree to be the judge, but why am I here? The pageant isn't until Friday." Phantom pointed out.

"You won't be able to make an accurate decision if you don't get to see the girls practice." Miss Maidenly sang out.

"Shouldn't I stay away to remain impartial?" Phantom raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I'm sure that you will pick whoever will make the best princess. This is just to make sure." Miss Maidenly said in a sweet voice.

"Whatever you say, you're the expert…You okay? You seem…shocked." Phantom gave her a concerned look.

"…Yes, yes, it's just than no one has ever agreed…never mind. I just-" Miss Maidenly was saved by the pageant canidates.

"Look! Danny Phantom is here!" One of the girls yelled.

Phantom was instantly swarmed by a group of girls. All of them were giving him complements, sweets, or were just plain hanging off him. For a second, Phantom relished in the attention. It was nice to have girls act like this around him. But the voices in the back of his head that sounded like Sam and Jazz were getting pretty loud…The weirdest part was Phantom swore he heard his mom's voice mention something about grandchildren…

…Weird…

Quickly turning intangible, Phantom told the girls, "Sorry ladies, I don't take bribes."

Groans and sighs sounded through the group. Deciding to get some distance, Phantom floated to the top of the bleachers. From here, Phantom watched the girls practice. They were practicing balance and working with makeup. It all quite bored Phantom, so he let his mind wander. Of course, his mind went to the thing he most thought about. The Nasty Burger Incident.

Four months later and the wounds were still fresh…but they were healing. The constant pain that Phantom hid and suppressed was fading. The thoughts of his lost family were becoming fewer and fewer. He was no longer consumed by their memory.

Not to say that he was even close to being over it. The grief and nightmares would undoubtedly plague him for a long time, but they were no longer a constant. The love and support of the people around him had helped substantially. Without them around, Phantom would have been completely consumed by his grief. He may have even become…**him**.

It was a scary thought, but it was true.

Phantom now understood what Clockwork was talking about. The time ghost understood that time and loved ones could heal all wounds. He knew that Phantom would find people who cared about the halfa. That was why Clockwork allowed him to live.

"You look like your deep in thought, ghost boy." Paulina's voice pulled Phantom back to reality.

"Yeah…how long has the practice thing been over?" Phantom sat up and looked around. All of the girls were still there. They were all chatting. What really surprised Danny was that he spotted Jenifer down there. Was she entering the competition?

"It just ended. I was just really excited to see you." Paulina sat down beside him and gave him a longing look.

"Really?" Phantom already knew the answer.

"Yes. I was so worried after that fight you had with that massive ghost." Paulina admitted. "I am glad that you were okay."

"Thanks. I'm glad that someone cares so much." Phantom gave her a smile.

"Oh, I do." Paulina place her hand on his. "So, I was wondering if you want to go to a movie after this pageant is over. I know that you don't want to get involved with a contestant, you're heroic like that, but on Saturday-"

"Look, Paulina…that is your name right?" Phantom pretended not to know her name.

"Yes!" She seemed happy that he remembered her name.

"I'm incredibly flattered by you liking me. Especially considering how beautiful you are." Phantom knew that adding compliments would make this easier.

"So the answer is yes?" Paulina asked hopefully.

"If I wasn't a ghost, then I would saw yes in a heartbeat." Phantom answered. "But I am a ghost and whatever you want to happen between us can't ever happen."

"What? Why? Aren't I pretty enough for you?" Paulina looked devastated.

"That isn't what this is about. You are a gorgeous girl and will only get prettier as you get older, but that doesn't change the fact that we are genetically different species. I'm a ghost and you're human." Phantom

"Love conquers all obstacles." Paulina pointed.

"Not death, though. Paulina, I'm dead. I died in a terrible accident. My life is over and the only thing I have is a bunch of obsessions and compulsions." Phantom took her hand. "You have your life ahead of you. You don't need someone stuck like…this…"

Paulina had tears in her eyes. "Great, first Dash starts acting different and now you reject me…"

Phantom raised an eyebrow, "The quarterback kid? Different how?"

"He no longer parades around the halls like the alpha male he is. He doesn't pick on those lower on the food change. He just isn't acting like an A-lister." Paulina complained.

"What's the problem with that?" Phantom questioned.

"Everything!" Paulina gave him a glare. "We are above everyone else. We were born that way. So the less popular should be below us. It is the way of life."

Phantom chuckled to himself as he sang, "It's the circle of life."

"Exactly." Paulina nodded.

"Tell me, where on the list do you think I was when I was alive?" Phantom asked.

"On the top of course." Paulina sounded certain.

"Nope." Phantom shocked the girl. "I was on the very bottom."

"But you're so strong and heroic." Paulina was shocked. "How could you have been at the bottom."

"I wasn't rich, athletic, smart, or all that good looking." Phantom commented. "Plus, I was miserable. I was picked on everyday by people like you and Dash."

"You…but…are you angry?" Paulina seemed to be afraid.

"No, I'm not" Phantom once again surprised her. "Being angry and bitter over it won't change anything. I instead looked toward the future and what I could do to better myself."

Paulina was silent.

"And maybe that is what Dash is trying to do." Phantom leaned back and looked to the sky. "He's trying to better himself as a person. Being a bully and picking on weaker people isn't heroic. It's just wrong."

"But…I'm better and prettier than them all." Paulina weakly argued.

"And I'm a lot stronger than any normal living human being." Phantom pointed out. "If I wanted to I could make life hell for the people of this city. But instead I choose to defend it, because that is the right thing to do."

"I-I don't-" Paulina stammered.

"That's right, you don't have to do anything." Phantom stood up. "You have the choice to be whoever you want to be. But in my opinion, a kind and caring heart is far more important than outer beauty…I'll see you around, Paulina."

* * *

><p>(Thursday-February 4, 2010)<p>

"Any news on those other ghosts we're looking for?" Phantom asked into his Fenton Phones as he continued his patrol.

"_No,_" Vlad sighed, "_They apparently caught wind of the fact that you were looking for them. Don't worry, though, ghosts like them can't stay silent and hidden for too long._"

"I'm not all that worried about that." Phantom landed on the roof of a tall building. "I'm more worried about Dani..."

"_She knows the rules,_" Vlad stated sternly. "_She has to finish her homework before she is allowed to go out._"

"Yeah, but I can't bet that she's happy about it..." Phantom trailed off.

"_No, she's not, but she will get over it._" Vlad pointed out.

"Not before taking some anger out on me, though." Phantom sighed.

Suddenly, a flash of pink light grabbed Phantom's attention. It came from a jewerly store down the street. There were no alarms, but ghosts rarely set off normal alarms.

Fazing through the roof invisibly, Phantom looked aroung the room. He couldn't see anyone, but the ghost might be invisible. The weird thing was that nothing was missing. No jewelry was gone from the cases.

'Maybe I just imagined it...' Phantom thought.

Anther pink light drew Phantom's attention to the back exit. 'Or maybe not...'

"Stop right th...er..." Phantom shouted into the empty alley way behind the store. "Okay someone is messing with me."

"Oh you catch on fast." a voice called from above.

Dodging to the side incase of an attack, Phantom looked up. On the fire escape above him was a girl. The girl had slitted pink eyes and pink hair pulled up into two horns and held up by two black bands. She was wearing a black and purple leotard top that went into a short skirt. Her pants had black and purple stripes. The girl's pale skin seemed to glow in the monlight. If she wasn't his opponent, Phantom would stop and admire her beauty, but now was not the moment.

"And you are?" Phantom eyed the girl carefully.

"Now that would be too easy, now wouldn't it." The gilr flipped off the fire escape and landed in a crouch.

"Maybe it would be, but if you don't tell me your name I'm just gonna call you pinky." Phantom pointed out.

"We wouldn't want that..." The girl smirked. "Fine, people call me Jinx."

"Alright, Jinx, what do you want?" Phantom questioned.

"Oh, I was just seeing what this store had in stock, but you interupted my shopping." Jinx pouted.

"You mean stealing?" Phantom accused.

"Meh, same difference." Jinx waved off his accusation.

"Not really," Phantom glared. "Your a criminal."

"Such hurtful words...true words, of course, but hurtful nonetheless." Jinx stated.

"Doesn't matter. I...you..." Phantom noticed her relaxed stance. This was a set up. "You let me notice you... You're a professional at this. I can tell. No way you would alert someone to your presense so easily."

"Aren't you smart." Jinx giggled.

"The only question is why?" Phantom glared.

"Maybe I wanted to see if you were as handsome in real like as you are on the news...You are by the way." Jinx flirted.

"Don't buy it. You want something from me." Phantom slid into a defensive stance.

"Oh, we all want something." Jinx stated, "But what I want isn't from you. I just wanted to see how big of a threat you are..." Jinx looked him up and down. "Hmm...nothing too big. If we had a fight, you probably would win, but you obviosly aren't all that stealthy..."

"Never tried to be. It's not my style." Phantom began to float toward the girl.

"Obviously, but maybe your style won't be able to catch me..." Jinx suggested.

"Oh, I think that it will be enough." Phantom rocketed herself toward Jinx.

"Think again." A wave of pink energy slammed into Phantom. He protected himself with an ecto shield, but when the dust settled down, Jinx was gone.

"...Why am I not surprissed by this crap anymore?"

* * *

><p>(Friday, February 5, 2010)<p>

Phantom was sitting at the judges table. The stage was completely set and there were only a few minutes left until the pageant. There was only one problem. A ghost was attacking.

"You sure you two got this?" Phantom spoke into his Fenton Phones.

"_Stop worrying, we got this!" _Spirit's voice answered the older halfa.

"A George Lopez reference does not make me feel better." Phantom grumbled.

"_Don't worry, spook._" Red Huntress assured Phantom. "_It's one litte archer ghost. This will only take a minute. You stay there and keep doing your little judge act."_

"Your support is really helping." Phantom sighed. "Alright, I got to go. The pageant is about to start."

"_Kekeke!" _Spirit did her evil laugh. "_Have fun._"

The whole pageant would have probably been boring…if Phantom wasn't a teenage boy. He paid fantastic attention to every second of the pageant. He also paid special attention to the swimsuit portion…What? Don't judge him!

Throughout the whole thing, one person stood out to Phantom. Jenifer Smith looked radiant throughout the entire pageant. There was no denying that she had a grace that no one else had. Phantom didn't want his friendship with the girl to interfere, but in his opinion. She deserved to win.

So, that was what happened.

"Judge have you made your decision." The announcer who was dressed in the stupidest outfit ever asked the ghost hero.

"The winner is…" Pause for dramatic effect. "Jenifer Smith."

What followed were cheers from the audience and tears from the other contestants. The ending ceremony was full of music, fireworks, and flowers. Then when Dora Maidenly finally placed the tiara on Jenifer's head…the disappeared in a flash of green light.

Silence.

More silence.

Even more silence.

"Was I the only one who say that?!" Phantom asked. "Because I need someone to explain to me what just happened."

* * *

><p>"So…they just disappeared in a flash of green light?" Dani asked. "And you just watched?"<p>

"Well, it's not like I was expecting that to happen!" Danny was indigent.

"This is bad." Vlad passed back in forth in the lab. "A kidnapping will be newsworthy. There will be reporters, investigations, members of the Justice League will come…We need to find her. With in a few hours at the least to. We can pass this off as part of the show. If we don't…"

"Bad things will happen." Danny agreed.

"How exactly do we find her?" Valerie asked. She normally wasn't allowed in the lab. Security measures according to Vlad. This, however, was an emergency.

"What was the theme of the pageant?" Vlad asked.

"…It was a medieval princess thing…" Danny waved his hands in distaste.

"Does that help with anything?" Klemper asked.

"Wait!" Valerie said. "We caught two medieval ghosts this week. Maybe they had something to do with it?"

"Right!" Dani was jumping up and down. "Do we still have them?"

"Yep…I was ah to lazy to put them back in the Ghost Zone…" Danny shrugged.

"…It would take less then ten seconds…" Dani deadpanned.

"I was felling really lazy." Danny gave them a sheepish look.

Thus began the interrogation. It really didn't take long. They let the ghosts out in a ghost proof cage and let Dani at them. It took less than a minute really. The poor suckers never stood a chance.

"Alright…so this Prince Aragon wanted a human bride and wanted one who Danny thought was the best?" Both of Valerie's eyebrows were raised.

"Apparently…Should I be flattered or disturbed?" Danny asked.

"Disturbed." Everyone in the room said at once.

"So we need to go the Ghost Zone and get that girl before she gets forced into marriage?" Klemper questioned.

"Sure do." Dani seemed excited.

Vlad interrupted their plan formations. "Wait, you can't just go from here. No one knows about the lab in the mansion. Go from Fenton Works. That will make it easier to explain to the young girl."

"Right." Danny agreed. "And we should take the Specter Speeder. That way we don't have to carry her through the Ghost Zone."

"Wait." Valerie stated as she starred at Danny. "How are you going to explain how a couple of ghost hunters, most of whom are ghosts, were allowed to drive a Fenton vehicle when the only living Fenton wants nothing to do with ghosts."

"Well, first off, you should stay here…don't glare at me Val, someone has to hold down the fort. Second, I have been working on…" Suddenly, a ghost duplicate of Danny few off from the original. "…a little trick with Vlad. Jenifer is a friend of mine…What?"

Valerie had a sour look. "Nothing…"

"So she won't question why I come after her. It makes sense for me to bring ghost heroes to help." Danny explained.

"So both Dannys can go?" Klemper asked.

"Yeah and so will you Klemper. I'm going to need you and Dani to help. According to those two medieval ghosts, Aragon is can transform to a fire-breathing dragon. Something tells me we are going to need some ice." Danny told them.

"Hmmmmm." Vlad sounded like he didn't like this plan. He probably didn't like the fact that Dani was going head first into unknown danger. "Fine. I will try to a little control with the press. Get a story out that it was a part of the celebration."

"Right." Danny nodded. "Let's get going."

"Alright! Mighty Morphing Power Rangers Go!" Dani exclaimed. "What?…Like you never watched Power Rangers?"

* * *

><p>It wasn't that hard to find the area of the Ghost Zone were Jenifer. The directions the two medieval ghost gave them was very specific. It was all thanks to Dan too and her…unique interrogation methods. The bad part was…<p>

"Are we there yet?" Spirit asked for the tenth time.

"No! We are certainly-" Phantom all but yelled.

The computerized voice of the Specter Speeder sounded. "Real World item detected."

"-now there." Danny finished for his duplicate.

"Sooooo," Klemper said as they passed through giant doors. "What's the plan?"

"We disguise ourselves as the archer and executioner and a wench. Then-" Phantom was interrupted when the power in the Specter Speeder went off.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhh!" Everyone screamed as they plummeted to the ground.

Bam! That was the first impact.

Crash! That was various dead trees they hit.

Slam! That was the Specter Speeder as it began to slide.

Meow! That was…

….Wait was that a cat? That's not right…

"Uhgn…." Spirit groaned. "What happened?"

"I don't know." Fenton said as he stepped out of the vehicle. "It just…

"…stopped working." Phantom finished. "And not only that. Look at my phone. It's not working."

"The technology stopped working." Klemper stated as looked over the land.

"…Yeah…" Fenton agreed.

"Maybe the Ghost Zone just has its own rules of reality that we don't know about?" Phantom grimaced at that thought. There was always more to learn.

"We are talking about a place where dead people come back to life." Spirit noted.

"Right…So, on with the plan." Phantom began.

"Wait? How are we going to get this out of here?" Spirit questioned as she pointed to the Specter Speeder.

"You, Klemper, and I will have to carry it." Phantom stated.

"That sounds like a lot of work…" Spirit groaned.

"Get over it." Phantom rolled his eyes. "Now, the plan is simple. We are going to disguise ourselves. When we get in, We will grab Jenifer. Then, Spirit, you will get her out of there and-"

"Aww….I don't get to fight." Spirit pouted.

"And!" Phantom emphasized. "Come back and help us fight."

Spirit cheered.

"What about your human part?" Klemper asked.

"I'll stay by the Speeder and make sure there was not too much damage. It's not like I'm much use without any weapons." Fenton stated.

"Everyone good?" Phantom questioned.

Everyone nodded.

"Alright, let's go."

* * *

><p>Getting into the castle was easy with the disguises. It was not like they were expecting an attack, either. Quite the opposite really. There seemed to be a …dull…celebration going on.<p>

As they entered the dining hall, they heard. "This is what you brought to me as my future wife!? A klutzy, awkward witch girl?"

"Brother, you cannot believe that a simple human girl could possibly cause all this?" A female voice tried to reason with the male voice.

"What's going on?" Spirit whispered.

"The prince must not like Jenifer…" Phantom noted.

As they drew close, the group saw what was happening. A blue skinned, long haired ghost with purple robes and a spiked crown was arguing with a female ghost with a blue dress and her long blond hair braided into a pony-tail. Next to them was Jenifer. She was wearing a torn pink dress that was covered in food stains.

"None of this was happening until she entered the room! As soon as she enters, chairs began to break. Banners fell. The help simultaneously spilled all the food!" The ghost who was probably Aragon yelled.

"It might be a coincidence?" The ghost who Phantom recognized as the dragon ghost who wanted to go to some ball suggested weakly.

"Stupid girl!" Aragon screamed as his red eyes became slitted and his teeth became sharp. "These are no mere coincidence. This girl is a witch and is no way fit to be my wife."

Aragon then proceeded to pull the tiara off of Jenifer's head and tossed it to the side. He then grabbed Jennifer and pulled her over to some guards. "Take the witch and my sister to the chopping blocks! They will be beheaded immediately."

"Brother!" The girl ghost gasped.

"Be silent, Dora!" Aragon screamed as he grabbed his sister and went to strike her. "You have failed me and have to face the consequences!"

"Spirit, get Jenifer." Phantom hissed as he ran forward.

"Wha?" Spirit exclaimed as Phantom ran forward an flung an ecto covered fist at Aragon.

"Arg!" The prince groaned in pain as Phantom's punch threw him back.

"Hey, jackass!" Phantom yelled as he pulled off his mask. "That is not how you treat ladies! Especially your sister! How about I show his royal jerkness some manners!"

* * *

><p>Spirit pulled off her disguise as she ran to Jenifer. The stupid dress could die! But that was not what mattered. She had to save the almost bride.<p>

"Hiah!" Spirit yelled as she blasted the guards away. "You that girl that was kidnapped."

"No, that was the other teenage girl that just recently won a beauty pageant." Sarcasm was dripping off Jenifer's voice.

"Oooooohhhhhhhhhh!" Spirit smiled. "You got spunk! I like spunk. But that won't get you out of this situation. Come one, we-"

"ROOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRR RRRRRR!" Aragon let out a terrifying roar as he transformed into a huge black and purple dragon. "You dare strike me! You little freak! I'll burn you alive!"

"I'm already dead." Phantom deadpanned.

"Shut up!" Aragon shouted as he flung he grabbed Phantom and flew through the roof.

Spirit went to grab Jenifer before she was crushed by debris. The human girl was already long gone, though. She skillfully cart wheeled and flipped out of the way.

"Wow…" Spirit mumbled as she flew by the girl.

"Yeah, wow." Jenifer smirked as she landed. "Come on, you came to rescue me right? Let's get out of here."

"Yeah, let's go!" Spirit began to fly to the exit.

Both girls headed toward the exit. All of the guards were gone and nothing could stop them. As they drew close to the exit, Jenifer stopped.

"What are you doing?" Spirit questioned as she looked back at the girl.

"I can't just leave Dora like this…" Jenifer was starring at the blond ghost.

"Why?! She kidnapped you!" Spirit pointed out.

"She was forced to. Her brother is to blame for all of this. I can't leave her and let her be a slave for the rest of eternity…or even killed." Jenifer began to run to Dora. "I can't leave someone trapped like this… I can't."

"…Yeah." Spirit agreed.

"Dora!" Jenifer ran up to the blond ghost.

"Huh?" Dora was pulled out of her trance.

"We have to get out of here." Spirit gestured around here.

"I can't leave. This is my home." Dora almost whispered.

"This is not a home." Jenifer glared. "Your brother has abused you for too long. A home is full of love and support. This is a prison for you and now you can leave."

"I can't leave." Dora looked around. "If I leave, my brother will take his rage out on the people. It is my duty to protect them."

"Then take a stand!" Spirit fist pumped. "Show your brother that you won't take anymore of his crap."

"I- can't I-" Dora stuttered.

"Yes, you can. You have the same power as he does, don't you?" Jenifer pointed out.

"Your right!" Dora gained a look of conviction. "I do have the same power as my brother. And…I'm not going to take his trash anymore."

"Yeah! Let's go show him who's the boss!" Spirit grinned.

"Yes, let's-" Dora was interrupted by Aragon crashing through the roof.

Crash!

* * *

><p>"Let go of me!" Phantom forced the claws holding him to let open and flew away from the dragon.<p>

In response, the dragon roared and flew over the forest. As he went over the dead trees, the dragon spewed fire all over the forest. In a second, everything was on fire. Phantom was jut glad that the Specter Speeder was further away. His original was still there.

"Wow, that's impressive. Destroy your own kingdom. That's smart…" Phantom drawled.

"Silence!" Aragon roared as he charged at the halfa.

Before he could, though, a bright blue light appeared below him. In an instant, the light struck his underbelly. As ice began to form on his body, Aragon roared in pain. The pain was so distracting that he stopped flapping his wings and plummeted into the mote below.

"Thanks for the assist, Klemper." Phantom smirked.

"No problem. You were right. This fight will be easier with the two of us." Klemper noted.

"Yeah, usually I would want to fight mano a mano, but with me being a duplicate and the original being in human form…" Phantom trailed off.

"I hear you-" "ROOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAA RRRRRRR!" Aragon flew at the two of them at high speeds. As he got close, the dragon spun around and swung his spiked tail at them. The two ghost dodged the blow, but were separated in the process.

Suddenly a torrent of fire spewed from Aragon's mouth and rocketed toward Klemper. The ice ghost surrounded himself in a cloak of blue light. The cloak protected the ghost from the burning effect of the fire, but did not stop the kinetic energy.

"Klemper!" Phantom shouted as his friend was sent down to the earth below.

"It's now your turn, ghost boy!" Aragon roared at Phantom. The dragon then tried to slash the halfa with his claws, but the halfa dodged each blow.

Encasing his right hand in blue light, Phantom blasted Aragon in the face with an ice blast. The blast caused the dragon to real back. Using this distraction, Phantom kicked Aragon in the stomach and sent the dragon flying down, but this time, the dragon stopped his descent.

"Personal space, dude. I know your stuck in the past, but this should be a universal concept." Phantom smirked.

"You will not defeat me! I am prince Aragon! I am the ruler of this land! I have power to burn cities to the ground, and you are a weakling that cannot even save his own family!" Aragon yelled.

That stuck a cord with Phantom. Aragon had just made this personal. Phantom glared at the dragon and said, "Alright then. Kid gloves are now **off!"**

"You speak as if you have any power! I am in control here!" Aragon then sent a torrent of blue fire at the halfa.

The fire never reached him, though. Phantom had already taken in a big breath in his usually unnecessary while the dragon was speaking. Then as the fire began to rocket toward him, Phantom let out a Ghostly Wail.

Now, this Ghostly Wail was different than the usual ones. Because a duplicate was attacking, the wail was only at half strength. Even at half strength, though, it was enough to snuff out the flames and hit the dragon with the force of a semi. Less than a second later, the dragon was sent crashing back into the castle

"Ha…pant…ha…pant…" Phantom wheezed as he finished his attack.

"Did you get him?" Klemper caught up to the halfa.

"I don't know…" Phantom panted out.

Suddenly, another stream of fire raced toward the two. Klemper blocked it with his ice, but that did not ease Phantom's mind. That Ghostly Wail tired him out. If he used another ecto-based attack, then he would run out of energy and disappear.

'Crap,' Phantom thought as he stared down at the castle.

* * *

><p>All three of the girls ducked as Aragon sent a wave of fire our the whole he just made. All of them were thinking the same thing. 'Is he trying to destroy his castle?'<p>

"ARG!" Aragon fell to his side. He was trembling and holding his sides. He appeared to be in terrible pain.

Suddenly, the dragons eyes turned to the girls. "Dora! The ghost boy and his companion are too much for me to defeat on my own. Help me!"

Dora began to step forward. Both Jenifer and Spirit tried to stop her, but stopped when they saw Dora's look. It was not a look of fear. It was a look of anger and conviction.

Slowly, Dora began to transform into a dragon. Her huge form cast a shadow over Jenifer and Spirit. Dora then began to walk over to her injured brother.

"Dora-Urg!" Aragon groaned in pain when Dora stomped on him. "Wha-what are you doing, you imbecile?!"

"What I should have done ages ago!" Dora applied more pressure to her foot.

"Ahhhhh!" Aragon writhed in pain.

"Sixteen hundred years of doing your bidding. Sixteen hundred years of suffering your insults. Sixteen hundred years-" Dora was interrupted when Aragon grabbed her snout and switched switched positions with Dora. Now he was holding her down with her foot.

"You!" Aragon glared at Jenifer and Spirit. "This is your fault! You've been filling her head with your modern ideas!"

"So what!?" Spirit stood in front of Jenifer protectively. "These modern ideas are a lot better than your pathetic dark age ideas!"

"Fool! I'll-ARGHHHHHHH!" Aragon was once again hit with a sneak attack. This time, Klemper punched the side of Aragon's side.

As the dragon tumbled to the ground unconscious, Phantom said, "You'll pass out from pain? Why, yes. Yes, you will."

As Aragon turned back to normal, Danny walked over an grabbed the Amulet of Aragon from Aragon's neck. Instantly, sunlight pored in through the holes in the roof. The Dark Ages was over.

"Well," Phantom said as he looked at his now working phone. "That is oddly convenient."

"Isn't a lot of things in our lives conveniently …well, convenient?" Spirit pointed out.

"Touché…" Phantom rubbed his chin.

"…The sunlight…it's so beautiful…" Dora smiled as she gazed through the hall. Slowly, all of the citizens that fled earlier began to pore into the dining hall. None of them seemed upset that Aragon was defeated. Quite the contrary, they were cheering.

"So…it's over? Just like that?" Jenifer questioned.

"Yep," Phantom nodded. He then held out the Amulet of Aragon to Dora and said, "I think this is yours."

Dora stared at the Amulet then shook her head. "No, I already have mine and my brother.. he won't need it in the dungeon. You should keep it. To the winner goes the spoils."

"Cool!" Klemper stated. "You have that and the giant axe. You could start a collection of ghostly artifacts."

"Maybe." Phantom agreed as he stuffed the amulet in his pocket.

"That's fine and all, but could you please take me back to Amity Park?" Jenifer asked. "I really need a bath."

"Yeah," Phantom nodded. "Can you handle the rest here?"

"Yes, thank you so much for your help. I will help my people move forward into the future." Dora smiled. "We have a lot of catching up to do."

"Yeah," Spirit giggled. "You've been dragon it out long enough…get it? Dragon, Dragging?"

And cue the crickets chirping.

"…Okay, I can't be nice about this." Klemper deadpanned. "That was so terrible that even people from the Dark Ages who have never even heard of a pun thinks that joke sucks. Think about that."

Phantom laughed. "And on that note, let's go."

* * *

><p>"So you used this to find me?" Jenifer asked as the original Danny Fenton stirred the Specter Speeder.<p>

Currently, Fenton, Jenifer, and Spirit were sitting in the front seats of the Specter Speeder. Klemper and the duplicate were in the back because of lack of room…and well, because Jenifer and Spirit called shotgun.

"Yep." Fenton nodded. "After Phantom told me about your disappearance, I agreed to help look for you in the Ghost Zone."

"Awe," Jenifer who was in the middle seat pinched Danny's cheek. "You do care."

"Stop that!" Danny blushed.

"Oh?" Spirit chuckled. "Do the two of you have something going on?"

"No!" Danny exclaimed.

"Maybe!" Jenifer giggled.

"Jenifer!" Danny sounded indigent.

"What!" Jenifer just smiled.

"Don't give the girl ideas! She's like ten!" Danny glared at Jenifer.

"Psh!" Jenifer snorted. "You're such a kill joy…"

"I know, right?" Spirit agreed.

As the two girls talked and complained about Fenton and Phantom, Danny thought. 'Great. I have two girls complaining about both of my identities. Life just sucks sometimes…'

For the next couple of minutes, there was silence. Everyone was tired and there was not much to be said. Spirit even went to sleep. She was snoring lightly.

"Never really thought you would be in a beauty pageant." Danny caught his mistake. "I mean, you are pretty enough, but it doesn't seem to be your style..."

"Nice save." Jenifer complimented. "I guess that I just wanted to try something new...It was more of an on the whim thing. Something a normal girl would want to do."

"And you aren't normal?" Danny smirked.

"Normal is overrated." Jenifer voiced her opinion.

"Very true..." Danny trailed off.

"…Danny," Jenifer said.

"Yah?" Danny answered.

"Thanks for coming to save me…" Jenifer stated.

"It was no big deal." Danny smiled.

"Yes, it is." Jenifer gave him a look of joy. "You came to save me from a really dangerous place. You could have just let Phantom and them come get me. They have their powers to protect them. You're just a regular human. You could have died, especially because you had no working weapons. Not many people would go. I knew your were special, but this…It was awesome."

"Hmmm…So it means a lot to you?" Danny questioned.

"Yes it does." Jenifer said sincerely.

"Then, Jenny, you're welcome." Danny said.

"Hey! You finally called me Jenny!" Jenifer smirked. "I'm growing on you, aren't I?"

"I will not justify that with an answer."

* * *

><p>Omake<p>

(Saturday-February 6, 2010)

Danny was spending his Saturday peacefully sleeping. Yesterday had been very stressful and he needed a rest. So, Danny had turned off his alarm and decided to sleep away the morning.

It was perfe-"Good morning, Danny!" Valerie cheerfully shouted as she entered the halfa's room.

...well, it was perfect...

"Ah!" Danny bolted upright in surprise. "What is it?! What happened?!"

"Nothing." Valerie stated. "I thought that we could use this morning to train."

"Val, if you don't remember correctly, I had a long week. This is Saturday and I should be resting...And it's eight! There is no way I'm getting up at eight on a Saturday morning to train..." Danny laid his head back down.

"Oh no you don't." Valerie grabbed the halfa and pulled him out of bed.

"What are you doing?!" Danny shouted.

"I decided that we are going to train, so we are gonna train. Besides, you need to work on your hand to hand combat." Valerie pointed out. "So get dressed."

(Four hours later...)

Danny laid on the floor. He was completely soaked in sweat and utterly defeated. His superpowers may have made him more powerful than Valerie, but she was not a ninth degree black belt for no reason. There was no constant, especially considering the fact that Danny was in his human form.

"Oh...my...everything..." Danny groaned in pain.

"Don't be such a wimp." Valerie rolled her eyes.

"Too weak...to make...witty...comback..." Danny gasped out.

"If you say so." Valeried grinned at the halfa.

* * *

><p>Danny had just taken a shower and had eaten. Now all he needed was to sleep. But as he made his track up the stairs, a knocking at the door drew his attention.<p>

Sighing, Danny answered the door. "Hello?"

"S'up, Baby Bob." Ember leaned on the door frame.

"Hey Ember." Danny greeted. "I just finished training and was going to rest?"

"Rest? Psh!" Ember grabbed Danny by his arm. "Come on, I've got these tickets to an afternoon concert a few miles away. You're gonna be my date."

"Wait? I just-" Danny never got to finish his sentence.

"No excuses." Ember continued to drag Danny.

"But I-" Danny was cut off.

"No excuses." Ember repeated herself.

"If you just gave me a se-" Danny could not get a sentence out.

"I said no excuses!"

(Five hours later...)

Danny was being pulled along by Ember as they exitted the concert area.

"I can't believe they did three encores!" Ember smiled.

Danny grunted in response.

"Then we actually got to go back stage!" Ember was jumping for joy.

Danny once again grunted.

"Can you believe that we got to hang with the band!" Ember was now shaking Danny.

"...No..." Danny said tiredly.

"What's wrong with you?" Ember questioned. "You should be full of energy!"

Danny just grunted.

* * *

><p>'It is so beautiful.' Danny thought as he dragged himself toward his bed. He was really tired and all he wanted to do was sleep.<p>

As he dropped onto his bed, Danny sighed with satisfaction. Time to slee-

"Hey! Danny!" Jenifer slammed the window open. "My dad had a business trip, so I got to stay in Amity Park for the weekend!"

Danny mumbled something into his pillow.

"What are you doing sleeping! It's Saturday night! Let's go dancing!" The girl then grabbed Danny and pulled him out the window. As they crashed into the brush below, all Jenifer could do was giggle.

'Why are girls dragging me all over the place today?' Danny mentally whined

(Four hours later...)

Both Danny and Jenifer had went to an underage club. They had danced and partied the whole time. If Danny wasn't so exhausted, he would have enjoyed the experience. It was very pleasant to have Jenifer dance with him.

"Woo!" Jenifer wiped the sweat from her brow. "Now that was a good time."

Danny said nothing.

"This was a good idea. We should come back here again sometime." Jenifer smiled.

Danny was silent.

"You okay?" Jenifer raised an eyebrow. "You look a little pale."

This time Danny moaned. It's okay people, he's still alive.

* * *

><p>Danny didn't even get to take a step into his house this time. As he climbed the steps, Dani as Spirit fazed through the door and carried him into the sky.<p>

"Danny!" Spirit cheered. "There's a ghost attack happening by the docks."

Danny groaned.

"And we have a lead on another ghost on your list! He was seen across the state!" Spirit told Danny.

Danny moaned in agony.

"What are you waiting for? Change already! I won't carry you any further!" Spirit exclaimed.

Danny really should have listened to her because in a few seconds, she dropped him like a sack of patatoes. He barely changed in time to save himself from death. After this development, Danny was now sure of one thing...Woman would be the end of him.

(Eight hours later...)

Vlad walked into the living room with a cup of coffee in one hand and a newspaper in the other. He had a fantastic night of sleep last night and was ready for the day ahead of him. Suddenly, he stepped on somthing on the middle of the floor. For a second, he thought it might be Cujo, but it turned out to be...

"Daniel!?" Vlad exclaimed. "Why are you sleeping on the floor!?"

"Couldn't make it...to couch...passed out...so sad..." Danny then curled into a ball and went back to sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>There is something I would like to address. Several people have said that this isn't really a cross over yet. Yes, there is a lack of YJ characters appearing right now, but right now this story is Danny's story before he joins YJ. That will happen in July (Story time, not real time) and it is February right now in the story. More characters will show up soon, so be patient. Thank you.<strong>

**If you haven't noticed, in general, I will refer to Danny as Phantom when he is in ghost form and Dani as Spirit when she is in ghost form. I will try to keep this consistent.**

**And don't worry, next chapter will have Wulf and a major YJ character...well, kind of major... It depends on your view.**

**Enjoy spring break and please remember to...**

**REVIEW REVEIW REVIEW**


	9. Torch

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"When two great forces collide, the victory will go to the one that knows how to yield"

Taoist saying

* * *

><p>Chapter 9: "Torch"<p>

(Saturday-February 13, 2010)

Clank!

Phantom slammed the Fenton Thermos down on Walker's desk. "I found the ghosts."

"I see…" Walker picked up the Thermos and handed it to a nearby guard. "Make sure they are all in there…"

"I want that Thermos back." Phantom interrupted.

"…and give the punk back his toy." Walker finished.

"Where's Wulf?" Phantom got right to business.

"You'll get him after the new prisoners are locked up." Walker stood up from his desk. "That's a-"

"Rule, I get it." Phantom rolled his eyes. "It's not hard to figure out what your obsession is…"

"For most ghosts, it isn't." Walker glared at Phantom. "You halfas are the exceptions. You break the rules…"

"Yeah, I'm good at that." Phantom smirked at the warden.

"I've noticed." Walker deadpanned. "Plasmius was a big enough hassle on his own. Then there was you. Now there's a ghost girl. If I could you'd all be behind bars…"

Walker froze as he was suddenly hit by a wave of anger and possessiveness. The emotional invasion caused him to stumble for a bit before his regained his composer. Walker may not be an S-rank ghost, but he was still powerful enough to resist most of the effects of a Haunting Aura.

Looking over at the halfa, Walker could tell that Phantom was not consciously using his Haunting Aura. It was an instinctual use brought about by his anger.

"What do you think-" Walker was interrupted when Phantom got right up in his face.

"I don't care about what you say about me or Vlad, but know this…" Phantom's eyes flashed blue. "If you ever hurt Dani, I will hunt you down and make sure you pay."

"Threats will get you no where, punk." Walker glared.

"It's not a threat." Phantom took a step back. "It's a promise that if you break my rule, then your prison will become a pile of rubble."

"…I'll try and remember that…" Walker stated.

"Boss!" a guard interrupted the two. "All the ghosts were there. They've been escorted to their cells."

"Alright," Walker took the Thermos and handed it to Phantom, "Let's go get your friend, punk."

"Good plan," Phantom nodded as he took the Thermos.

The trip to Wulf's cell was incredibly loud at first. All the prisoners were yelling at him and telling him to die. As they traveled, though, the prison became more and more quite. Eventually the only sound was that of their footsteps. It was eerie.

'Is this was solitary's like?' Phantom grimaced. 'Silence and solitude. Seems like torture.'

Finally, they approached a door with two guards in front of it. The door itself was heavily enforced. There were several locks and hinges on the door. Yet, a small bar covered window was near the center to allow the guards to watch Wulf. They didn't want Wulf sneaking away, probably.

"Open the door." Walker ordered his guards.

The two guards nodded and began to unlatch the door. It took a full three minutes to completely unlock the door. As the last latch came undone, both guards took a step back and prepared their weapons.

"RAWWWWWWWWWWW!" Wulf slammed through the now unlocked door. He looked like he was about to attack the guards.

"Wulf! Wait!" Phantom stepped forward and stopped his friend.

"Eh?…Friend!" Wulf cheered as he tackled Phantom and began to lick the halfa's face.

"Yeah, urg, It's, uh, me…can you get off?" Phantom struggled to get out of Wulf's tackle.

"(Why are you here?)" Wulf asked in Esperanto as he let Phantom up.

"(I came to get you out of here)" Phantom answered. He had been studying Esperanto for this very meeting. Duplicates really come in handy, sometimes.

Wulf seemed surprised that Phantom understood him, but quickly got over his shock. "(Prison break?)"

"There will be no prison break." Walker stepped in. "I understand those words in any language. No, Phantom has paid for your freedom."

To emphasize the point, Walker pulled out a button and pressed it. Immediately, Wulf's collar turned off and fell to the ground. Wulf rubbed his neck in shock.

"(I'm free?)" Wulf gave Phantom a hopeful look.

"(Yeah, but there are some conditions.)" Phantom remarked. "(Nothing bad, you just can't leave any portals to the human world open for a long time. If you do, then we both will be locked up. It was part of the deal I made to get you out.)"

Wulf took a moment to process this. "(I understand. I will close all of the portals I make.)"

"(Good.)" Phantom gave Wulf a small smile.

"Your reunion is touching, but you can get out of my prison now." Walker stated harshly.

Wulf growled in response, but was calmed down by Phantom placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Fine by me, the smell hear is really starting to give me a headache." Phantom smirked.

Walker just glared. "No one is forcing you to stay…yet…so get out while you can, ghost boy."

Phantom nodded and turned to Wulf, "(Before you go anywhere on your own, can we talk?)"

"(Of course.)" Wulf nodded.

"(All right, but let's go to my home to talk. This is important.)" Phantom said.

* * *

><p>(Sunday-February 14, 2010)<p>

Explaining the situation to Wulf was rather easy. Getting Wulf to help with the problem was even easier. Danny didn't even have the ask. Wulf volunteered without a second of hesitation.

Of course, then Danny had to deal with the hard part. The hard part being equal to explaining to Dani why she couldn't come on to investigate the portal. She had been very insistent that she should come, but it was far different than from what she was used to.

Danny had no information on what they would be facing. They were going in completely blind. This was different than normal ghost fighting or even going to Walker's prison. She wouldn't have Danny's complete focus or Vlad's influence to protect her from harm. Dani could hold her own in a fight, but whoever was drilling into the Ghost Zone had at least some ghost technology. There was no telling what they would face.

"But why are Cujo and Klemper going?!" Dani exclaimed.

"I'm not stupid enough to go in alone. They agreed to come…err barked…anyway….and with Vlad's being restricted by treaties too, we need all the help we can get…Val can't go into the Ghost Zone, though. It will attract too much attention." Danny explained as he knelt to her eye level.

"That's why I should come! I'm strong!" Dani shouted as she crossed her arms.

"I know you are that is why I trust you to have my back." Danny stated.

"But you don't trust me enough for this…" Dani mumbled.

"No, it's not that I don't trust you enough. I don't trust me." Danny explained.

"Huh?" Dani raised an eyebrow.

"I-I know I don't talk about…it a lot, but…What happened before…with my…family…" Danny's eyes became distant. "It affected me more than I usually show."

Dani was completely shocked. Danny had never willing started talking about his old family before. Whenever they were brought up, he always changed the subject. This was big.

"And being around you, Vlad, and all the others really helps. You all have been pushing me past all this. But if something were to happen to you…I don't know…I'd lose myself." Danny said honestly. "Please understand that this situation is different than anything we encountered before, so please, just stay home."

Dani looked at the pleading look on her brother's face and nodded. "Okay, I'll stay."

With that, they were all set. The team of four set out to the Land of the Far Frozen to get directions. Unfortunately, they couldn't take any weapons. Three of them couldn't use any ecto-weapons (lack of coordination or opposable thumbs) and Danny didn't want to risk losing any weapons in the investigation.

"Great One! It is good to see you!" Frostbite greeted. "And you've brought friends!"

"(He seems like an excitable person.)" Wulf stated the obvious.

"Yep…I have no idea what you just said…." Klemper chuckled.

"Frostbite, this my friend I told you about. He can help with the portal problem." Phantom gestured to Wulf.

"Aha!" Frostbite rushed to Wulf and embraced him. "It is fantastic to meet you my friend!"

Most would wince under Frostbite's mighty hug, but Wulf was unaffected. "(Eh?…the pleasure is mine, friend.)"

"Hahahhahahhahaha! I cannot understand you at all, young Wulf!" The yeti ghost grinned as he let go of the werewolf ghost.

"(I get that a lot…)" Wulf gave Frostbite a toothy grin, but then suddenly turned to Phantom. "(Wait…Did you say Frostbite? As in Frostbite of the North Wind?)"

"Frostbite of the North Wind?" Phantom raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?" Frostbite seemed surprised. "I have not been called that in a long time…"

This caused Phantom to pause. Truthfully, he did not know a lot about Frostbite. All Phantom knew was that the yeti ghost was a kind, compassionate, and deadly S-rank ghost. He obviously was an old ghost if he knew Clockwork as an old friend. It made Phantom wonder about Frostbite's past.

Any doubts instantly died in Phantom's head as soon as they appeared. Frostbite had been a good friend to Phantom. Besides that, Wulf didn't seemed threatened. He just seemed to be in awe. Nevertheless, Phantom wanted to dig more into this, but this was neither the time or place. They had work to do.

"I would love to hear the story about that name," Phantom sincerely stated. "But I think we should deal with the portal first."

Frostbite nodded with approval. "Good idea. It is not the time to procrastinate. Come with me. I will show you the way."

* * *

><p>"This is as far as I can take you without breaking one of the various treaties I have." Frostbite explained as they came to a stop.<p>

Phantom had to say this: traveling via Infimap was epic. It flew far faster than Phantom ever could. The ride was awesome. The puppy in his arms seemed to agree, but Klemper and Wulf…

"I think…I'm gonna…hurl…" Klemper held his stomach.

Wulf whined as he tried to regain his bearings by shaking his fur.

Frostbite laughed. "Hahahahahahaha! Yes, it is a very unusual way to travel."

"So this is where the S-rank ghosts live?" Phantom looked around. It seemed no different than any other part of the Ghost Zone.

"Well…most of the ones that are left live in this area." Frostbite nodded.

"The ones that are left?" Klemper asked as he pulled himself together.

"Yes," Frostbite gained a very solemn look. "There aren't actually many S-rank ghosts still in this plane of existence any more. They have passed on."

"They died again?" Phantom asked. "Or did they accomplish their goals?"

"It differs for each story." Frostbite then clarified. "Some have completed their goals, such as my old friend Jester. He wanted the world to come out of the Dark Ages and find joy. The world still has problems, but it is no where near as bad as back then.

"Others were…not so lucky. Some died in battle. Others…timed out. We ghosts may live long lives, but we are not immortal. Eventually our bodies decay. It just depends on how much power we have." Frostbite finished explaining.

"(How many S-rank ghosts are left?)" Wulf questioned, but Phantom had to translate for him.

"Hmm…there's me, Colossus, Plasmius, you," Frostbite pointed to Phantom, "Clockwork(Phantom didn't know that, but was not surprised) but he doesn't live in this area, Fright Knight, the Ghost King if you count him, Vortex, Undergrowth, Vision, Scribe, Pandora, and there is one new S-rank that I have heard rumors about; but I know nothing of him."

Phantom had never heard of some of those ghosts. 'Great a bunch of new threats that I have to worry about.'

"Can't other ghosts become S-rank?" Klemper questioned.

"Many have hidden potential, but never realize it. Ghosts that absorb energy from an outside force can temporarily become S-rank." Frostbite explained.

"Hmm…" Phantom remembered the various foes that absorbed power from misery, granting wishes, or chanting. "Walker made it sound as if going in this area is like having a death wish…But if there are so few left…"

"Don't underestimate any of them. Almost none of the other ones are as strong as Colossus, but they are still dangerous. That is why I can't go in there. If I break a treaty and they attack my home, then most of my people will perish in the battle I will have with the invader." Frostbite lost the friendly look he usually had on his face.

"Woah," Klemper looked shocked. "…Wait. Why wouldn't they just leave or hide? Is it a pride thing?"

Frostbite shook his head. "It has nothing to do with pride. Some of the S-rank ghosts are just that powerful. Others have several weaker ghosts allied with them for protection, like with my people, the ghosts employed by Plasmius, or…well…this group right here."

Phantom looked over the three other ghosts with him. "They are my friends, not people who I rule or lead."

Frostbite chuckled. "I know. I was just using you as an example."

Phantom nodded. "Thanks Frostbite. I think we should get going. Right, guys?" The others nodded.

Frostbite smiled. "May destiny be kind to you…Wait!"

All four of the ghosts stopped in their tracks. Klemper then asked, "What is it?"

"I forgot to mention something. I am on friendly or at least non-violent terms with the other ghosts. The older ones are even old friends of mine. But that does not mean that they would take my involvement as anything other than a threat. We ghosts are quite territorial. So, please, if you run into them, don't mention my name." Frostbite requested.

"You got it, Frostbite." Phantom gave an affirmative nod.

* * *

><p>"What is this?" Both of Klemper's eyebrows were raised at the sight before him.<p>

Their journey to the portal was quite at first. Nothing seemed out of the normal…well, Ghost Zone normal. For a minute, they even began to think that they wouldn't run into any trouble on the way to the new portal.

Until…

"(Is this a wall?)" Wulf tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"I think it is a wall. Just look at all the keep out signs." Phantom pulled Cujo back as the dog began sniffing the wall.

In front of them was a fifteen foot stone wall. It was covered by signs that said "keep out" and "stay away." The wall ran was curved and seemed to circle the area in front of them.

"Does someone actually expect this keep a ghost out. I mean, we can just float over or under it easily." Klemper questioned.

"It probably is just meant as a warning." Phantom place a hand on the wall. "The person behind this wants people to know that he will hurt anyone that comes in…I think it would be a good idea to avoid this area."

"Agreed." Klemper nodded. He seriously did not want to go over or under that wall.

"(I don't that is an option.)" Wulf sniffed the air.

"Wha?" Klemper and Phantom stared at the wolf ghost.

"(I can smell an opening to the real world somewhere behind this gate.)" Wulf pointed to the other side of the wall.

Phantom went to translate for Klemper, but the blond ghost cut him off, "I don't think that a translation is necessary…Man this is going to suck."

As they went over the wall, all four ghosts were instantly hit by a wave of heat. It could be compared to stepping out of an air conditioned house into a hot summer day. The change caused the group to falter for a good minute.

"(Is this a desert region?)" Wulf stuck his tongue out in to cool him self.

"No…it's a fire area…" Phantom pointed to the island in front of him.

The island seemed to be almost completely covered in fire. The only area not on fire was a single path and the manor at the end of the path. The manor seemed to be in good condition despite its surroundings. It had three stories. There were several windows on each floor of the manor, and they all had light coming out of them. In Phantom's personal opinion, this island made Vegas look like a dim light bulb.

"Ugn, my eyes." Klemper shielded his eyes from the light. "How can anyone live here?"

"No idea…" Phantom answered. He looked over to his friends and saw that they were all very uncomfortable. Wulf and Cujo were simmering under their fur. Also, Klemper seemed to dislike all the heat, but he was doing better that the fur covered ghosts. "Let's find that portal fast."

"(Good idea.)" Wulf readily agreed. "(I smell the portal in this direction)"

Wulf and Cujo took the lead. They both sniffed the air and led the other two around the island. As they passed around the island, they realized just how protected the manor on the island was. The fire would prevent any backward assaults and would nullify most far distance attacks. The only way to get close was to go through the front and then you would be easily detected.

Whoever designed the island had thought long and hard about how to protect the manor…That or they wanted it to look intimidating.

"There it is." Phantom finally caught sight of the portal.

The newly drilled portal was only half the size of a regular portal. The drill making in could be seen sticking out from the portal. The tip of the drill was sharp and was releasing greenish yellow energy. It was some type of radiation, but not completely ectoplasmic radiation. That would explain why it was taking so long.

"So, what's the plan?" Klemper asked as the others turned to Phantom.

Phantom took a thinking position and said, "We should do this quickly and efficiently. There is no way they will be expecting an attack like this, so we have the element of surprise. So, we get in, take out any guards, and destroy the drill. Maybe we can even send a message to them by showing that opening portals is dangerous. Then, we get out."

"(Alright)" Wulf nodded.

"Good plan." Klemper agreed.

"Woof!" Cujo shifted to attack mode.

"Alright, Wulf, I need you to make a portal behind the drill. Then, we storm the place." Phantom directed.

"Sí," Wulf then went behind the portal.

"Will this actually work?" Klemper questioned.

"I have no idea." Phantom shrugged, "But this is our best shot."

"(Ready?)" Wulf questioned.

"Yeah, do it." Phantom ordered.

Wulf's claws immediately came out as the wolf ghost raised his paws in the air. In a single motion, Wulf brought his claws down and tore open a hole into the human world. Phantom then yelled out to charge and led the assault into the por-

Suddenly, a wave of red fire came from the direction and consumed all four ghosts, the drill portal, and the portal Wulf made. All four ghost yelled in pain and surprise. Fortunately, Klemper and Phantom quickly came to their senses and used their ice powers to shield the four with blue light.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" a loud voice from a man shouted at them as the fire died down.

A little scorched and off balance, all four ghosts turned to the voice. The six foot two inch tall man with a dark tan had spiked up black hair with red highlights. His eyes were covered by blue sunglasses. This ghost was wearing a red vest over a black long-sleeved shirt and torn dark blue jeans. Black tennis shoes covered the ghost's feet.

The ghost was wearing a chain necklace around his neck. Various rings were on each of the man's fingers. Simple silver piercings were in the man's ears, right eyebrow, and tongue…which was sticking out at them.

Finally, a headband with the word _champion_ was tied around the ghosts forehead.

"So it was you!" The ghost pointed at the group. "Torch has been wondering who's been drilling into Torch's area! Now you decided to come finish the job on this side!"

"What?" Phantom's eyebrows rose as high as they could go. "You're crazy if you think-"

"Crazy!?" Suddenly a monkey with fire-like fur came beside the taller ghost. "Did he just call Master Torch crazy?!"

A raven with black smoke coming off him appeared on the other side of the pierced ghost. "I think he did call master crazy, Bi!"

"Smo, you are right! He most definitely called master crazy!" The monkey called Bi exclaimed.

"(Okay, I'm lost. What is happening?)" Wulf tilted his head to the side.

"I don't know…" Phantom place his hand on Cujo's head to calm the ghost dog down. "Look, it's Torch, right? I think that we have an misunderstanding here."

"Woah! Wait up a second there people!" Torch lowered his sunglasses revealing his amber eyes. "Does Torch see the ghost boy Danny Phantom before us?"

"I think he is Danny Phantom, Master Torch!" Smo the raven shouted.

"Master, you are right! He most definitely is Danny Phantom!" Bi cried.

"Is it a good thing that they know you, or a bad thing?" Klemper questioned.

"No idea…" Phantom stared ahead at the what seemed to be fire ghosts. "Do you have a problem with me?"

"Torch has no personal beef with you, DP. You protect your people and are thus in the cool category. You may be too light on your enemies, but your still cool." Torch gestured to an area above his head. "But! It is not cool to invade Torch's home! Especially to make a portal! Torch takes this as an insult!"

"Wait!" Phantom raised his hands in compliance. "We aren't here to finish the portal. We are here to stop the people creating the portal!"

"Then why was your big furry friend clawing into the human world?" Torch pointed to Wulf.

"We are going to stop them from the human world. It was supposed to be a sneak attack." Phantom explained.

"We are sorry, Mr. Torch, but we needed to be by the portal to get to where the drill is." Klemper nicely stated.

"Hmmm…Do you think he is telling the truth?" Torch asked his companions.

"I think that it all sounds suspicious, Master Torch!" Smo cawed.

"Smo, you are right! He most definitely is hiding something, Master Torch!" Bi waved his arms around for emphasis.

"My friends here have a good point. Your story has a lot of holes" Torch stated. "You do have that goody goody rep and Torch is fair, though. So, tell me how did you learn of the portal and Torch will help you kick those home invaders asses."

"A friend told us about it." Phantom vagually said.

Torch made a buzzer sound, "Nope, wrong answer. Who is this friend of yours?"

Phantom paused for a moment. The only way to avoid this fight was to answer truthfully, but he promised Frostbite he wouldn't mention him. Plus looking at how hostile they were to invaders, it was a bad idea to bring Frostbite. There was also the problem of how Frostbite knew about the portal. Torch would assume that he was spying. Then…

War. It was the only outcome that would come out of this situation if he even brought up his yeti friend. Phantom couldn't do that.

"I can't tell you." Phantom solemnly stated.

"Then you leave Torch with no other choice, DP." Torch raised his right hand into the sky. Fire burst out of his palm. For a second, Phantom was sure Torch was going to attack, but the fire didn't move toward him. Instead, it began to take shape. It turned into the shape of a scythe. For a second, the fire stayed like that, then it died down leaving a smoking red scythe in its place.

Torch then brought his other hand to his mouth. The fire user let out a high pitch whistle. Several bursts of fire appeared around Torch. When the bursts of fire went down, various animals were in their place. There was a cow, goat, snake, liger…

…A liger? Some one watched too much Napoleon Dynamite when he was alive…

"For the crime of coming into Torch's domain and opening a portal, Torch by the power of Torch and those who support Torch sentences you to death." Torch points his scythe at them. "Cue the dramatic music!"

A kangaroo ghost pulls a boom box out her pouch and hit the play button. Suddenly, "We are Family" began to play.

"Ataaaaaaaaaaa…ck…" Torch and everyone else turned toward to the kangaroo. "That is not the battle music we agreed to play!"

"I'm sorry!" The kangaroo ghost cried. "I forgot to change the CD back from the party earlier!"

Torch dropped to his hands and knees and hung his head. "Torch's epic battle moment was ruined…"

All of the various animals began to comfort Torch. "It's all right." "Summoning your scythe was still awesome." "You can still do your battle cry!"

"(These people are loco…)" Wulf deadpanned.

"Yep." Phantom agreed.

"If loco means crazy, I completely agree." Klemper nodded.

"Bark!" Cujo growled.

"Alright…" Torch stood up and composed himself. "Torch is good. Torch is good. Let's continue…Torch's minions! Attaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!"

"ROOOOOAAAAAARRRRR!" Dozens of animal ghosts shouted as they charged the four intruder's position.

"Oh Crap!" Wulf, Klemper and Phantom yelled as Cujo growled.

As soon as the animals made contact, various fire attacks were sent out. All of the animal used fire to enhance there claws, beaks, or teeth. Wulf managed to what most of the enemies around him before they hit him, but some fire grazed him. Klemper and Phantom used their ice powers to nullify the fire, but some regular attacks hit. Cujo had the worst of it, though. The large dog's size overpowered most of the fire animals, but the sheer numbers cause him to receive a few full blows.

Phantom gritted his teeth as he covered his body in blue light and blasted the various fire animals. A red bear met an ice enhanced fist. The kangaroo was frozen temporarily when Phantom sent an ice blast in her direction. Maybe he could drive them back and…

"Rack!" a fire raccoon suddenly latched onto Phantom's face.

"Ah! Get it off!" Phantom grabbed at the raccoon, but all he received were various scratches.

Because of his temporary blindness, Phantom didn't see as Bi the fire monkey lunged himself onto his back and held onto his arms. The fire snake tied together Phantom's legs. Unable to defend himself, Phantom couldn't stop two other animals from tackling him.

"Ug! Ahr! Let! Ouch! Go!" Phantom struggled to get away from the animals off him. It was no use, though. He couldn't see. He couldn't move. He could, however, hear, and what he heard angered him.

Cujo was growling in pain from the relentless attacks. Wulf was snarling and sending out curses as he become covered in burns. Klemper cried out as more attacks broke through his guard.

Phantom seethed in anger. All they wanted to do was stop the drill and now they were all fighting for their lives and…it was all his fault. He was the one that brought them along. He put them in this danger. Because of him they were all going to die.

"Like Hell!" Phantom exclaimed as he gathered blue light around him. It encased him like a cocoon. Frost began to cover the animals attacking him. Suddenly, the blue light blasted out, hit all the animal away from him, and knocked them out.

That was not all that burst out though. All the fire animals froze as Phantom's Haunting Aura invade their minds. The coldness and protectiveness made all of the fire animals shiver. Klemper, Wulf, and Cujo didn't seem affected, though, and took the opportunity to knock several of the animals out.

"Hey! Hey! Hey!" Torch's voice made Phantom to turn. Phantom's eyes widened as a scythe covered in fire came carving down at him. Lunging back, Phantom avoided being impaled, but the fire burned through his right sleeve.

"Ack!" Phantom used his ice powers to put out the flames. Looking at his burned arm, Phantom shouted. "Hey this was my favorite coat!"

"Serves you right! No one hurts Torch's minions!" Torch let loose a Haunting Aura to Phantom to show his anger. Luckily, it had little effect on the other angry S-rank ghost.

"Torch's minions should have given a thought Phantom's personal space as they tried to kill Phantom by clawing Phantom to death... Man! That is exhausting! How do you talk like that?" Phantom finished his mockery with that question.

"Talk like what?" Torch raised an eyebrow.

"Torch is kidding, right?" Phantom grumbled.

"Stop trying to confuse Torch!" Torch covered himself with fire and launched himself toward Phantom with the intent to cleave him in two.

"It shouldn't be that easy to confuse you!" Phantom covered himself with blue light and grabbed the base of the scythe before it could hurt him. They began to try and push each other back, but neither gained any new ground.

There was a new problem, though. The fire ectoplasm and ice ectoplasm could not stay in contact for long without conflicting results. Some times the results were actually pleasurable like with Danny and Ember. Other times the results were violent and painful.

The results really depended on the will of the users. Unlike with Danny and Ember whose intentions were to get along and…other things, Phantom and Torch intended to harm each other. Their ectoplasm understood that and when the conflicting elements met for such a long period of time…

Boom!

…Yeah, pretty self-explanatory…

Purple energy sent everyone in the area flying backward. Phantom and Torch were no exception. Neither refusing to let go of the scythe, both were sent off to the side, past the drill, and…

…And into the newly created portal…

"Danny!" Phantom's friends exclaimed.

"Master!" Torch's minions (the ones still conscience) cried.

It was too late, though. They were gone.

Both groups tried to go after their leaders, but soon met each other in the middle. In the midst of confusion and anger, there was no possible way for one group to let the other through the portal. The only rational thing to do was to continue to fight.

And so they did.

* * *

><p>Phantom and Torch came barreling out of the portal at dizzying speeds. They crashed into and through what seemed to be machines. Finally, they came to a stop when they hit a metal wall. Of course, they left a large indent in said wall…<p>

Phantom groaned as he tried to get over the ringing in his ears. "Well…at least I got through the portal."

"Oui, it zeems zhat you have, Danny Phantom." A French voice grabbed Phantom's attention. "Right into my home."

"The Brain!?" Phantom's eyes became as wide as saucers. "You were the one making the portal…"

"Oui," Brain's mechanical voice confirmed. The Brain was well, a brain in a metal container. He was a known villain and terrorist.

"The Brain?" Torch's voice grabbed Phantom's attention. "Like in Pinky and the Brain…

"One is a genius, the other's insane…" Phantom couldn't stop himself from singing. "Focus, Phantom…No, he's an evil genius that…Wait! Why am I explaining this to my enemy?"

"Torch doesn't know." Torch shrugged. "But that does remind Torch." Suddenly, Torch was covered in flames. "We were in the middle of a fight."

"Zo it waz you zat zet fire to my lab." Brain seemed aggravated. It was true, small patches of fire were around them. The fire from the fight must have come through the portal. It appeared that Brain contained most of the fires, though.

"So what if it was fish bowl head?" Torch said evenly, "What are you going to do about it."

"Thiz," Various guns game out of the Brain. Then several lights tuned on around them. Turrets were pointed at them. Rocket launchers were ready to go. Attack drones had several guns pointed at the duo.

"Gwarrr!" There also was also a huge guerrilla with a couple of machine guns.

Oh peachy.

Torch snorted. "Human guns? Really? Those won't hurt Torch and him." The fire ghost turned to Phantom "Let's do this!"

Torch rushed Phantom again. This time, though, Phantom was prepared. A broad sword made of ice was brought up to bock the scythe. Phantom smirked at the taller ghost.

"Ha! Like it! Plasmius and Kemper have been helping me with- Ack!" Phantom shocked when his ice sword shattered. A second later, he was sent flying with a giant fireball.

"Fire!" Brain ordered and all the guns began to fire. Nothing could hit Torch, though, because the ghost quickly became intangible.

"Really? You think that will work against a ghost! Torch says that is weak sauce!" Torch waved his hand and sent a wave of fire out at the various machines. The intense fire made the metal begin to melt and thus stopped the bullets.

"Zo it zeems," Brain observed the ghost. "Maybe thiz will help." A large bazooka appeared out of the Brain's side.

"Psh!" Torch mocked the Brain. "As if that will- ung!" Torch was blasted back by a ball of green energy.

"Ecto weaponry?" Phantom's jaw dropped. "How did you get that?"

"I made it of course," Brain stated. "It did take time to build, though."

Suddenly, a slash of fire came through and cut the bazooka in half. The melted weapon slid to the floor and Torch said, "Too bad. It takes long to make and it hurt Torch as much as a tennis ball would!"

Torch was completely unharmed. The weapon was obviously not powerful enough to hurt the ghost. That was good. It meant that the Brain's ecto weaponry wasn't even near completion.

"But if your plan was to make Torch angry," Torch's face twisted into a snarl as Fire began to circle him wildly. "**Then you succeeded**."

A wave of anger and indignation swept across the room. The various seemed to glitch for a moment. The gorilla took a step back. The Brain even faltered for a second. Phantom did try to keep his composure, but the sweat forming on his forehead was not caused by the heat of the flames.

Torch yelled out and the fire swept across the room. It covered everything. Computers, machines, and weapons were destroyed. The guerrilla was badly burned and the Brain was sent flying backward. Phantom…

"Gack!" Phantom grunted as he was pushed through the metal wall and outside.

"Get back here, DP!" Torch rushed out the new hole. "Torch is gonna fry you to a crisp."

The Brian took a minute to regain his composure. Then he looked around the room. Everything was destroyed, but the portal was still open…

"There iz alwayz a bright side…"

* * *

><p>It was the amazing the destruction that can happen in five minutes. Merely a few minutes ago, there was a beautiful wooded area filled with birds, flowers, and a lot of pine trees. Now, the trees were either burning, frozen, or oddly both burning and frozen.<p>

How that could work was a mystery to Phantom. There was little time to dwell on that, though. There was a fight happening.

"Ngggggggnnnnnnn!" Torch groaned as a ice-plasm covered fist hit his right cheek.

Phantom had struggled throughout the whole fight. Torch was a fierce warrior and the fire was very dangerous. Phantom's ice counteracted the fire, but that made it so that Phantom could not use any other offensive power.

So, it was fire vs. ice.

The fight was almost completely even at this point, too. Both fighters were counteracting the other's attacks. That's not to say they were uninjured. Phantom had green blood coming out of several shallow cuts and his coat and body were badly burned. Torch was covered in bruises and has several spots on his cloths and body that were covered in ice.

Despite this, they continued to fight on.

"Raw!" Both Phantom and Torch shouted as they sent out bursts of fire and ice. The elements collided, and once again purple energy exploded outward knocking the two back ward.

Phantom pushed himself off the ground and once again formed an ice sword. He had tried this three times before, but none of them landed any hits. Each time had significantly better results, though. So he had to keep trying.

Both ghosts launched themselves at each other again. They were covered in their elemental energy in an attempt to protect themselves. Torch tried to use the longer reach of his scythe to cut Phantom down, but Phantom parried the scythe with his ice blade. Phantom then tried to cut Torch down, but Torch managed to block the attack.

The clash once more caused the elements to collide and conflict. Another blast of purple energy rocketed them away from each other. Both ghosts slid across the ground, thus leaving a trail in their wake.

They slid a good twenty meters away from the center until they finally stopped. Neither ghost moved from his position. Many would assume that they were both knocked out, but…

"…How did you do it?" Torch suddenly asked from his position on the ground.

"What do you mean?" Phantom didn't understand.

"How could you improve so much during a fight?" Torch questioned. "Your control over your element skyrocketed each time you were knocked down."

"Maybe my training was finally kicking in." Phantom answered truthfully. "I have been training with my teacher and Klemper about control. I didn't really make too much progress until…"

"Until you had to use them to fight Torch." Torch finished. "You are one of those types. The ones that thrive in battle. If Torch could compare you to one of the six, you would probably be closest to Colossus. Even if you use ice powers."

Phantom sat up. "One of the six? What does that mean?"

"One of the six, you know. The ancient ghosts that defeated the Ghost King." Torch also sat up. "Don't tell me you haven't heard of them, Torch means, come on dude, you fought the Ghost King. You should know this."

"I did know about the ancient ghosts, but I didn't…Colossus huh?" Phantom went into deep thought. "He did say he was the rival of the Ghost King…"

"Yep," Torch used his scythe to pick himself up onto his feet.

"I've talked with some pretty old ghosts, and they have never mentioned this." Phantom commented. "How do you know all this."

Torch paused for a second, then smiled. "Glad you asked! Torch's desire, No! Torch's dream, No!…Torch's destiny is to become so great that I will be known throughout the whole world. So Torch will surpass all other ghosts and become immortal by my fame."

Phantom grunted as he dragged himself to his feet, "What does that have to do with you knowing about the ancient ghosts."

"Torch must know what it is Torch needs to surpass," Torch explained. "The Great General Colossus, Pandora the Controller of Chaos, Scribe the Ghost Writer, Wide Smile Jester, Frostbite of the North Wind, and Vision the Undefeated Strategist. The six ghosts that forever changed the Ghost Zone."

"Whoa, I could imagine Colossus. But Frostbite…Wait! Did you say the Ghost Writer?" Phantom was shocked.

"Yeah, Torch does not know all the details, but the Ghost Writer has incredible power. Power to actually change reality." Torch stated.

Phantom remained silent. This was something he should know.

"Allrighty then!" Torch took a battle stance. "Reprieve over. Round 2...no 3...begins now!"

Phantom got into a defensive stance. "Fine by me…wait…Do you get the feeling that we're forgetting something?"

Torch relaxed and said, "You know what, Torch does feel that way."

"It's like I was doing something important before the fight…" Phantom scratched his chin.

"Hmm… Torch agrees…" Torch rubbed the back off his neck.

They took a second to think, then… "Oh, Crap!"

"My friends!" Phantom shouted.

"Torch's minions!" Torch exclaimed. "They were still fighting when we left!"

"And the portal's still open!" Phantom was having a freak out attack. "The Brain could get them in their weakened states!"

"No!" Torch fell to his hands and knees. "Torch is a bad master!"

"Yep…" Phantom agreed.

"Don't agree with Torch!" Torch jumped up. "Your supposed to argue with Torch and say Torch is a good leader!"

"Why would I do that?" Phantom raised an eyebrow. "You're my enemy…and you're kind of a dumbass."

"Like you're one to talk!" Torch pointed at Phantom. "None of this would've happened if you stayed away from Torch's home!"

"What!? I was trying to stop the Brain from drilling into the Ghost Zone!" Phantom became angry.

"Like someone who can't even control his Haunting Aura could do anything! Torch could handle it! Eventually Torch would have broken the stupid drill!" Torch argued.

"Yeah, cause that was going so well before!" Phantom began to walk over to Torch.

"You want to go!" Torch approached the halfa.

"Maybe I do!" Phantom glared up at the fire ghost.

"Then let's…wait. We're distracting each other again." Torch forced himself to cool down.

"Yeah…We're gonna have to cooperate if we want to stop the Brain from getting into the Ghost Zone and hurting our friends." Phantom didn't like this plan, but he would get over it.

"Don't worry! Torch's fire destroyed most of his equipment!" Torch beamed with pride.

"Yes, good job idiotically destroying everything in your path." Phantom deadpanned.

Torch once again dropped to his hands and knees. "You're really mean to Torch…Torch is ready… Depression…"

* * *

><p>"Remember the plan?" Phantom asked.<p>

"No…Wait! Yes…Maybe…Torch doesn't know." Torch commented.

"…You don't deal well with taking orders do you?" Phantom questioned as the two ghosts invisibly floated over the Brain's base.

Torch snorted. "Does Torch look like Torch takes orders well?"

"Obviously not…Just go in there and burn everything. I'll make sure all of Brain's data on ecto weaponry is destroyed." Phantom explained. "When I give the signal, head for the portal."

"Oh, okay. Torch likes this plan." Torch grinned.

"Good, then go!" Phantom instructed.

"Hell yes!" Torch fazed through the roof and into the building.

"…That was easy." Phantom said to himself. "I thought that I would have to try harder to get him to be the distraction."

Phantom felt a little bad for using Torch like this. It wasn't very heroic to use someone like a pawn, but it was necessary to do use. Phantom had to make sure that all ecto weapons and data on ecto weapons were destroyed.

'Heh, Vlad has been influencing me. Chess indeed…' Phantom thought to himself as he fazed through the roof.

Staying invisible, Phantom began to discretely fly through the base. Alarms were going off. Drones were moving to the area where Torch entered. The Brain's voice sounded over the intercoms. He was telling them to stop Torch and be on the look out for Phantom.

"He may not be dead." Brain instructed.

'Technically, I am, but that's beside the point.' Phantom thought.

Much of the base was already destroyed, but many locked down areas were still intact. The fire had not effect on the powerful walls in some of the areas, but Phantom could still faze through the walls. So, nothing could stop Phantom from getting to the main computer.

It appeared that the large computer was already logged on and ready to go. The Brain obviously never expected someone to randomly appear in the middle of his base and start attacking. Of course, that's what you get when you try to drill a whole into a different dimension.

"Alright…" Phantom began to look through the files on the computer. All of them required passwords and recognition from the Brain. "Well, crap…"

Luckily, though, Phantom could see the names of the various files. Many of them were in French, so Danny could not understand them. Phantom could recognize _ecto_, _ghost, _Fenton, and…Phantom.

'Why does Brain have a files on both sides of me?' Phantom glared at the screen.

A file on Fenton made sense. Fenton had ecto weapons. Phantom though…Phantom had nothing that Brain would want. Unless the brain was studying ghosts, but then why not just capture and dissect weaker ghosts…

'Maybe that was his plan.' Phantom thought. 'Get an endless supply of ghosts to dissect…Doesn't matter anymore.'

There were not many files on ecto weaponry, anyway, so…Phantom lifted up an ice-plasm covered hand and placed it on the computer. Slowly, ice began to spread through the computer. When the machine was completely froze, Phantom stepped back and formed a ball of regular ecto energy in his hand.

Looking over to the camera above him, Phantom said, "Don't mess with me, Brain." The ball of energy shattered the computer and left only shards of ice behind.

"Time to take this place down." Phantom turned toward to door to see multiple drones about to fire at him. None of the shots made contact, though as Phantom quickly turned intangible. Rushing toward the drones, Phantom began to blast all their heads off. It merely a few seconds for all the drones to be broken.

Phantom launched himself toward Torch was. Several drones, turrets, and rocket launchers dried to stop him. None of them injured Phantom, though and were quickly taken out. Phantom made sure to destroy everything else in his path, including computers and other machines. The Brain needed to understand the consequences of drilling into the Ghost Zone.

Finding Torch was not all that difficult. All the gun fire and regular fire quickly gave away his location. The fire ghost had gone to the room where the portal was and was fighting off drones with ease. Until…

"Gwar!" The giant gorilla brought both fists down on Torch, but only met air as Torch rolled to the side.

"Ha! Nice try." Torch smirked. His cockiness almost cost him though, because the guerilla then used his momentum and was about to uppercut Torch with his massive fists. Fortunately, Phantom arrived in time to stop him.

"Gwak!" The Gorilla grabbed his face in pain after receiving an ecto blast to its face. Phantom felt bad for the gorilla. It was covered in burns as cuts. It's fight with Torch had ended badly for the animal.

"Monsieur Mallah, I would zuggest fighting-" The Brain was cut off as Phantom blasted him away also.

"Time to go Torch!" Phantom shouted.

"Aw! And Torch was just beginning to have fun!" Torch sent out one last fire ball and then flew into the portal.

Phantom was about to follow when the gorilla now identified as Monsieur Mallah backhanded him across the room. The halfa groaned in pain from the impact of the attack. The gorilla had some serious strength.

"Do you really think I will let you leave?" The Brain's computer voice still had no emotion, but Phantom could still tell he was angry. "You have deztroyed yearz worth of work."

"You don't have a choice, Pinky." Phantom stood up and saw that he had plenty of room in front of him. Several more machines, Monsieur Mallah, and the Brain were ready to attack him. "Take this as a message from the Ghost Zone. Don't tamper with the dead."

Phantom then took a deep breath in as the others began to attack. As the bullets got close to hitting Phantom and hurt his tangible body, Phantom let loose his Ghostly Wale. Then everything began to crumble.

The bullets were flung away. All the drones began crumble to pieces. Monsieur Mallah was knocked out as he was hit by the cry of death. Finally, the Brain was rammed into the back wall.

"pant…There's always…huff… tomorrow night…pant…Brain…" Phantom managed to get out.

Satisfied with the destruction, Phantom slowly walked over to the portal. Exhaustion was catching up with him. Looking behind him one last time, Phantom then flung himself into the portal and away from the destroyed base.

* * *

><p>(Play: You're Going Down by Sick Puppies)<p>

The first thing Phantom noticed as he came through the portal as the various unconscious ghosts around him. Almost all of Torch's minions were knocked out. Unfortunately, Cujo seemed to also be unconscious. Klemper looked like he was on his last legs and Wulf didn't appear much better.

Only one of the fire animals was still awake and fighting. It was the crow ghost Smo. He appeared to have a lot less injuries than Klemper and Wulf. Plus with Torch thrown back into the mix, things were not looking up for Klemper and Wulf.

"Master! I think with your help we will win!" Smo cried.

Torch smirked, "Of course! Torch and Smo will cut those fools down."

"I don't think so!" Phantom blasted at the two with regular ectoplasm. Both ghosts separated to avoid the attack.

"Danny/Friend!" Klemper and Wulf shouted. They seemed relieved. Most likely, they assumed the worst after Torch came out of the portal.

"Wulf! Close the portal!" Phantom shouted as flew away from the portal.

"Si!" Wulf lunged at the portal. Neither Smo or Torch moved to stop Wulf. Instead, they attacked Klemper and Phantom.

Smo left a smoke trail behind him as he flew toward Phantom. Before he could reach the halfa, though, Phantom used his ice powers to freeze the bird.

"HA!" Torch brought his scythe down with a blast of fire. Klemper tried to use his ice to stop the attack, but the shield only stopped some of the fire. The rest slammed into the blond ghost and knocked the ice ghost into blissful unconsciousness.

While this was happening, Wulf had managed to close the portal. That was good. With that portal closed and the drill destroyed, their mission was over. Unfortunately, there was still one problem…Torch.

"Wulf!" Phantom shouted as he formed another ice broad sword. "Get Klemper and Wulf out of here!"

Not waiting for an answer from the wolf ghosts, Phantom charged at Torch. Slashing from the right, Phantom tried cut Torch down, but was stopped by Torch's scythe. Not wanting to conflict their energies, Phantom made some distance between them, but almost got cut by Torch's scythe.

"Erc…" Phantom felt the exhaustion and his energies begin to get to him.

"Tired alrea…alrea…already." Torch seemed tired too.

"You wish." Phantom once again charged at Torch. This time Phantom's attack managed to managed to push Torch back, but that lasted only a second. Torch created a fire whip in his left hand and tried to burn Phantom at a distance.

Phantom groaned as he blocked the whip with his sword. It took a look of energy to keep regenerating his sword. If this kept up he would run out of juice.

Deciding to risk another conflict of elements, Phantom charged. This time, Torch tried to use the longer reach of his scythe to cut Phantom before he got too close, but Phantom dodged. Phantom then sent a barrage of attacks at the fire ghost.

Eventually, Torch stopped the barrage, but was forced into a power struggle. Both ghosts tried to gain leverage on the other as they use their elements to push themselves forward. This struggle lasted a few moments until the conflict ended in the same way as before, in a burst of purple energy.

"Arg!" Both Torch and Phantom was sent flying toward the fire island. Neither had the power to stop themselves so they continued to barrel to the island and through the roof of the manor. Their momentum caused them to crash through several floors into what appeared to be a throne room.

Phantom groaned as he tried to push himself up and failed. He was almost completely out of energy. It was a miracle he was still in ghost form. If he was in human form, he could faze out and get away without any more injuries. Phantom knew that there was a good chance that he would pass out if he was in human form, though, so that wasn't an option.

After a lot of work, both Phantom and Torch managed to get to their feet. Both were at there limits and ready to collapse. The fight between the two equals was almost done.

Phantom looked around the room. The room was circular and had several torches on the wall. Multiple seats were around the edge of the room, but at the far end was a large throne in the shape of a capital T.

Glancing at his enemy, Phantom realized how bad they both looked right now. Their clothes were torn. They were covered in bruises and cuts. Phantom had several burns across his skin and Torch had ice on his body.

"We don't have to finish like this, you know." Phantom commented. "My job is done here. We can call this a tie and cut our loses."

"We could, but if Torch does that it would mock all of Torch's minions and their fight." Torch picked up his scythe. "Plus, Torch needs to find out which one of us is stronger. Torch cannot be the best if Torch settles for a tie."

"Fine…" Phantom dug deep. He tried to bring out hidden energy just like he did in his fight with Colossus. Slowly, blue energy began to ooze out of him. Using that energy, Phantom made one last broad sword. This time, it was gonna work.

Torch brought out the all the energy he had left and formed a large fireball in his left hand. "This is the last round. Either Torch will win or Phantom will win. No excuses. The best will be decided with this."

"Fine." Phantom readied himself.

"Raw!" Torch sent the fireball at the halfa.

"Urk!" Phantom lunged himself at the fireball and attempted to cut the fireball in two.

Boom!

Torch braced himself for the next attack. He couldn't see through the smoke, but he knew that Phantom was there. For a minute he waited, but no attack came. A large grin formed on the face of Torch. He had won!

"Ahhhhhhhhhh!" Suddenly, Phantom rocketed at Torch with dizzying speed. The ice broad sword was raised and ready to strike.

Torch brought up his scythe to block the attack. The broad sword met the met the scythe with a large clang. For a brief moment, everything froze. Torch and Phantom glared at each other. The scythe and sword remained locked. It was the climax of a battle at its finest.

Then the scythe was cut in two. The edge of the ice broad sword dug into the right shoulder of Torch. The sword dug down deeply into the shoulder and cause green blood to fly out. Before too much ecto blood came out, though, the wound was covered a thick layer of ice.

Suddenly, the sword shattered. Torch dropped the two ends of his scythe. Then…Thud! Torch fell back in a heap.

Phantom looked at the sight before him in shock. He had done it. He had single handedly defeated an S-rank ghost. There was only one way to celebrate such a victory.

"YYYYYEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!" Phantom yelled in victory. Falling to his knees, Phantom revealed in his victory. Finally, all of his training was finally showing some results.

"…Torch loses…" Torch almost whispered.

"…Only barely… That last attack almost had me." Phantom answered honestly.

Torch tsked. "Being so humble in the face of victory…Don't be so cool…"

"…What would you do? A victory dance…" Phantom commented.

Torch laughed. "Hahahhah. Ouch! Holy crap that hurts…Torch probably would do a victory dance…" Torch admitted.

"…Too bad, matchstick, its my victory…" Phantom smiled..

"… So it is.. snow…cone… Torch admits…defeat…" Torch drifted off into unconsciousness.

"…Way to keep your cool…" Phantom let himself change back into a human (though the disguise belt kept his appearance the same) and gracefully passed out.

The two powerful beings laid there for fifteen minutes. Both ghosts were beyond the point of exhaustion. They would be out for a while.

"Now what do we have here?" A tall figure approached the fire ghost and halfa. Over the dark figures shoulder was an unconscious Wulf who was abruptly tossed to the ground. "Two sleeping S-rank ghosts ripe for the picking…"

...A loooooooooong while...

* * *

><p>Omake 1<p>

(Tuesday-February 9, 2010)

"Again!" Vlad ordered as he oversaw Danny's training. Currently, the two halfas were in the training room. Vlad was helping Danny with his energy manipulation by forming his energy into shapes. He could form ice weapons, but he still lacked the control

"Pant...Can't...huf...we...pant...take a break?" Danny asked. They had been training for hours. Dani had long since gone to bed because she had school tomorrow, but Danny continued his training despite the late hour.

Vlad sighed. "Fine. Fine."

Danny flopped onto the floor ungracefully. Groaning as his aching muscles finally got a chance to rest. This was actually a regular event in Danny's life now. Train until you can't train anymore.

"Your progress in energy manipulation is steadly growing." Vlad noted. "For some reason, though, you haven't had any large leaps since your battle with Colossus. I think that for some reason you make the most progress when you are pushed in real battle."

"Never really thought about it..." Danny mumbled.

"Hmm..." Vlad sat down in a nearby chair. "Yet your progress with your Haunting Aura is almost nonexistent. I suppose it is to be expected. How could a teenager hope to control his emotions enough to use such an advanced technique."

"I take offense to that." Danny glared at his mentor.

"I know, and I don't really care." Vlad smirked.

"Worst mentor ever..." Danny mumbled.

"What was that?" Vlad raised an eyebrow. "Did you say that you wanted to do 200 pushups while I stand on your back?"

"No I was just saying how great a teacher you are." Danny didn't miss a beat with that one.

"That's what I thought." Vlad threw a bottle of water at the younger halfa.

Danny easily caught the bottle. "Thanks."

"I meant to ask you..." Vlad mentioned. "Why was that Johnny 13 here earlier today."

"Well I met this girl-" "Another one? Really Daniel? Isn't three enough?" Vlad interupted Danny.

"It's not like that, old man." Danny snapped.

"...No need to resort to name calling..." Vlad mumbled.

"Anyway, this girl was robbing a store in town. She used this pink energy that kind of reminded me of what happened when Johnny's shadow fights." Danny explained.

"Ah...So you asked him to see if there were, in fact, similarities." Vlad stated.

"Yeah, and I was right. That girl was using bad luck to get in and out of the store without detection." Danny commented.

"But you detected her." Vlad pointed out.

"Because she let me." Danny sighed. "She wants something in Amity Park and she was scouting to see how big of a threat I was."

"What could she want?" Vlad asked. "If she is such a good thief then she would just take what she wants and leave."

"That's what I'm trying to figure out." Danny explained. "I want to be paranoid and say it has something to do with ghosts or ghost weaponry, but then why not just break into Fenton Works? I mean it is locked down tight, but no one really knows how dangerous it would be. Even for someone that can control bad luck, it would be suicide. But only the people closest to me could know that..."

Vlad went deep into though. "I can see your concern. I'll look into it myself."

"Thanks, Vlad. " Danny smiled.

"Good, now back to work. It's time for a sparing match." Vlad grinned viciously.

Danny flinched. This wasn't going to be pretty.

* * *

><p>Omake 2<p>

(Friday-February 12, 2010)

Danny was sitting on the roof of the mansion. Tomorrow was the day he was going to get Wulf out of jail. Anxiety was getting the better of him, and he couldn't focus well enough to work on anything.

"What are thinking about?" Klemper plopped down right beside the halfa. The blond ghost had two cans of Cocacola and handed one to Danny.

"Just...about how much has changed in so little time." Danny took the can. "Thanks."

"No problem." Klemper said. "Are you thinking about the good change or..."

The sentence was never finished. They both knew what he was talking about.

"Both." Danny answered. Danny's expression turned neutral. "It's...hard to forget all the bad things."

"I bet." Klemper agreed. "But there are plenty of good things to be thankful for."

"I know..." Danny whispered.

"Don't spend too much time in those dark thoughts." Klemper advised. "It would be better to surround yourself with the good things."

Danny chuckled. "Like friends..."

"Hahahaha! Like friends..." Klemper nodded. "...I never did thank you for...everything."

"That's what friends are for." Danny lifted his can up for a toast.

"I'll drink to that." Klemper took a big gulp of the pop.

"_Danny!"_ Valerie's voice rang through Danny's Fenton Phones.

"Yeah?" Danny brought his hand up to his ear.

"_I kind of have a situation here..."_ Valerie answered. _"The Guys in White are attacking a white haired high school student named Gegor."_

"Wow, they are grasping for straws...I'll be right there." Danny turned to Klemper. "Sorry I got to go."

"Meh...When duty calls." Klemper shrugged.

(Fifteen minutes later...)

It didn't take Red Huntress and Phantom long to defeat the Guys in White. The two agents may have had a bunch of new toys, but none of them helped against the two superior ghost hunters.

"Why did you attack the jerk acting like a foreign exchange student?" Red Huntress asked as Phantom held the two agents upside down over the cliff.

"The real question is why you are helping the ghost boy?" Agent K questioned.

"Meh..." Red Huntress shrugged. "Because I feel like it...and you two are idiots."

"Don't insult us little girl!" Agent O shouted.

"Dude! You were shooting high school students!" Phantom exclaimed. "You definitely deserve to be called idiots."

"Be quite-Ouch!" Agent O was cut off when Red Huntress punched him in the gut.

"You don't get to talk." Red Huntress glared. "If you do I'll aim where it really hurts next time."

Both agents whimpered. It was very pathetic...and admittedly very funny.

"Harsh." Phantom flinched in shadow pain.

"I get my point across." Red Huntress smirked.

"Alright you two, I'm gonna tell you this only once." Phantom's eyes began to glow blue. Everything got cold. "Stay away from those kids."

"Or what?"

"..."

(Five minutes later)

"Wow, I was just gonna throw them in mud." Phantom praised. "But I like your idea better."

"Thank you." Red Huntess smiled. "I think we made our point."

Both GIW agents were frozen to the side of a building by their wrists and ankles. That wasn't the worst part, though. Ther worst part was that the two were in their underwear.

Twenty-three videos, two hundred thirty-six pictures, and seven million online hits later, the two agents were finally rescued. Both agents were punished with sever demotion and pay cut. Yet the worst part was filling out the files for the incident.

It was then that two agents finally came to the same conclusion. Teenagers were the source of all evil in the world...

* * *

><p><strong>I have to admit that writing the Brain is really difficult. I can't write or speak in a French accent, so this was difficult. Not to mention remembering to keep Torch talking in third person. I had to go back several times to fiix mistakes.<strong>

**Torch is another one of my major OC's. I only will make four major OC's in Obsession. Two have already been introduced. The minor OC's won't appear often and have no real relevance.**

**A shout out to nightmaster000 for helping me create Jester. He won't really appear in this story except in reference or flashbacks. He is not like the Joker in anyway, by the way.**

**Thank you all for reading and please remember to...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	10. Nightmare

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"I believe there's a hero in all of us, that keeps us honest, gives us strength, makes us noble. And finally gets us to die with pride. Even though sometimes we have to be steady and give up the thing we want most, even our dreams."

May Parker (Spiderman 2)

* * *

><p>Chapter 10: "Nightmare"<p>

(Monday-February 22, 2010)

The smell of bacon flooded Danny's nose as he groggily woke up. Smiling contently, Danny rolled out of his bed and walked down the stairs. The television in the living room was turned to the news, but none of his family were watching it. The noise from the kitchen told Danny exactly where they were.

"Good morning, Sweety!" Maddie smiled as she cooked bacon and pancakes at the stove.

"Hey, Mom. You're cooking bacon and pancakes on a Monday?" Danny asked as he took a seat at the table. "What's the occasion?"

"We sold a new invention last night!" Jack gave his son a huge grin. "Wayne Tech was incredibly excited about the uses of the Fenton Teleporter!"

"That's great." Danny smiled at his parents.

"Yeah," Jazz looked up from her psychology book. "You two have gotten a lot of business over the past couple of months."

Jack beamed, "It was only a matter of time before the world noticed the greatness of the Fenton's!"

"You got that right," Maddie giggled. "One family has the two best inventors in the world, the soon to be world-renowned psychologist, and the cutest superhero in the world."

Danny blushed, "Mom!"

Jazz laughed at her brother. She reached over and pinched his cheek. "Yep! You're the cutest hero in the world!"

Danny smacked her hand away, "Stop that!"

In truth, Danny loved the fact that his family knew his secret and still accepted and loved him. That was his greatest fear when he sat them down and explained what happened. The thought that his family might hate him terrified the young halfa, but now…now he was glad he told them. Their acceptance meant the world to the halfa.

Jack laughed. "Now ladies, no teenage boy wants to be called cut by his mother and sister…Although he probably wouldn't mind it if Sam called him cute…"

"Oh come on!" Danny cried in indignation. "Not you too, Dad!?"

"Sorry son, but you make it so easy," Jack said in between bites. "Especially since that girlfriend of your's has you completely whipped."

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Jack." Maddie reprimanded her husband.

"Yes, dear…" Jack answered immediately.

"Like you're one to talk about being whipped…" Danny mumbled to himself as he began to eat his breakfast.

Breakfast continued as the family talked about their plans for today. Jack and Maddie had to prepare the Fenton Teleporter for shipment. Jazz was going to tutor after school. Danny on the other hand had not concrete plans yet.

"Tucker, Klemper, and I want to play some video games later, but Sam was dropping hints that she wants to go flying tonight, so I'll have to come up with someway to do both." Danny told his family. "But I have no idea if a ghost attack might interfere, so…"

"Well with Mom and Dad busy…you could always let the Red Huntress handle it," Jazz suggested.

"Meh…She would just hold it over my head…" Danny grumbled.

"Just make sure that you don't let your cousin fight alone." Maddie reminded her son. "Danielle is not ready for that yet."

"Yeah, Vlad would pop a gasket if he heard she was out alone." Jack commented. "Not to mention Elizabeth. She would never let her daughter out of her sights again if something like that happened."

"For good reason…" Maddie looked at her son with worried eyes. "A mother worries about her children…"

"Oh, Mom…" Danny knew what was coming. "We've talked about this before. You know that I can't just sit back and let the attacks happen."

"I know, but it's…it's just hard." Maddie mumbled.

Danny nodded. "I understand, but you know that I have to do this."

Jazz in an attempt to stop this depressing situation said, "Hey look at the time, I think that we should be heading to school soon or we will be late. Do you need a ride, Danny?"

"No, I'm good." Danny smiled. "I want to take a more aerial route."

* * *

><p>Dani didn't know what happened. One minute she was peacefully beating the cra….tar (her dad's constant reminder about proper language was really hitting her) out of some ghosts while eating pie, the next moment she was lying in her bed with a broken helmet at the side.<p>

"Wha?" Dani tiredly rubbed her eyes. "I was asleep?…Well, that explains the flying cows…"

Hopping out of bed, Dani noticed some unusual things. She was still wearing her day clothes. The clock said it was ten A.M, but it also said that it was Monday (She wasn't about to explain why she wasn't complaining about missing school. She didn't even remember lying down. Not to mention the weird helmet thing…

"How long have I been asleep?" Dani picked up the two pieces of the helmet. "Okay…strange metal helmet…I'm just going to blame Danny…DANNY!"

Dani stormed out of her room. Her intent was to giver her brother a piece of her mind. How dare he use a new invention to make her sleep all day!

Usually Dani would knock before entering her brother's room, but now she was angry. With great force, Dani slammed the door open and yelled, "You jerk! I know what you did!…"

No one was there.

This process continued a few more times throughout the house. She tried almost every room in the house that Danny usually went to. The training room, kitchen, bathroom (she was more cautious during that one), and the living room were all yelled into. The only problem was…

No one was there.

"Okay, now I'm a little miffed…" Dani grumbled to herself. She did not like being ignored.

Knowing that there was only one room in the mansion she hadn't checked yet, Dani decided to go down to the lab. Usually she would just faze through the floor, but something in her mind, an instinct, was telling her not to use her powers. While Dani didn't understand this feeling, she listened to it. So, she used the elevator.

…Impatiently that is…

Looking around the lab, Dani sighed. No one was here either. It was official no one was in the house…wait a minute…

"Why is there dust down here?" Dani examined the tables and mental. They were coved in a very thin layer of dust. This was very unusual. Her dad and Danny always kept the lab clean. They didn't want any dust influencing the experiments.

Yet, the lab was dirty. In fact, it looked as if the lab hasn't been cleaned in a week. What was going on?

"So…there is a lab down here." A female voice behind Dani drew the girl's attention.

"Who?" Dani turned and saw a girl who fit Danny's description of the 'bad luck thief' Jinx. "You're…"

"Stunning, beautiful, awe-inspiring?" Jinx smirked as she walked into the lab.

"I was going to say that you're not supposed to be down here." Dani slowly took several steps back. Anyone who didn't know the young female halfa would assume she was afraid. They would be wrong. The truth is she was slowly edging towards a nearby ecto-gun.

"I go a lot of places I'm not supposed to be." Jinx remarked as she looked around the lab. She turned her back to Dani in her self-imposed tour. The bad luck thief obviously didn't view Dani as a threat. Big mistake.

"Are….are you the reason my Dad and Danny are gone?" Dani questioned as she picked up an ecto-gun and pointed it toward Jinx. "Are you the one that put that helmet on me?"

"No, I'm the one that got it…" Jinx turned and saw the girl pointing a gun at her. "…off of you. It's not nice to point you know. Especially guns."

"Who said I was nice?" Dani glared at pinkette.

"Good point, but I would think twice about shooting me." Jinx commented. "Especially with that freaky sleep ghost out there."

"…Freaky sleep ghost?" Dani didn't understand. That didn't mean that she would lower her gun, though.

"It happened it here first." Jinx glared at the floor. "Some huge demon star ghost and his green devils started going around and putting everyone to sleep. They finished with the entire city in a half an hour. Then…they-they spread out further. There were so damn many of them. Enough for one hundred armies. They spread all across the globe.

"Most of the world didn't know what hit them. No one would think about…invisible sandmen fazing through their walls an putting them to sleep. People wised up when entire cities started to go silent, but it was too late.

"The ghost was smart about it. He attacked all the big hero cities first. I guess even the mighty Justice Leaguers needed to sleep…Anyway, with them gone, no once could stop the ghosts. No one had ecto-weapons and there was no time to come up with a plan.

"I was just lucky…which is ironic…I was…err…traveling when it got bad. By the time my plane landed here-" Jinx was cut off.

"Why were you coming here?" Dani glared.

"Doesn't matter." Jinx waved off the question. "All that matters is that I have been trying everything to fix this. I tried sneaking away from the city, but those sleep walkers always found me. I tried communicating to the outside world, but no one was answering. I even tried to break into Fenton Works."

"You tried to break into my brother's property!" Dani shouted.

"Keep you voice down. They might here you…" Jinx glance around nervously. It didn't matter to her that they were in a sound proof underground lab. "Yes, but it was not like I wanted to. It didn't end well, though… At first I came to this mansion to get Fenton, but…he wasn't here. Neither was Masters…. So getting them to let me in was a no go.

"You were here, but at first, I didn't think that you could help. No offense, but I thought you might just be a liability. Guess I was wrong." Jinx gestured all around her. "I figured that there was some lab in this place, but trying to find it might have attracted the sleep walkers' attention."

"So I was your last resort." Dani grumbled.

"Yes," Jinx answered honestly. "I no longer had any other options. I used my…powers to destroy your helmet. I need help to fix this and like it or not, its just you and me."

Dani paused for a second. "How do I know that you're not lying?"

"Look at the facts and evidence." Jinx pointed out. "The dust down here, the empty mansion, hell, kid, who do you think got that stupid helmet off of you? Santa Claus?"

Slowly, Dani nodded. She had to do this…but that didn't mean that she had to trust Jinx. "What do we do?"

"We need to use the equipment in this lab for any plan to work. My powers…" Jinx lifted here right hand. The hand was covered in pink light. "…work against those ghosts, but I would be completely overwhelmed during an attack to what I figured out is their main base."

"…Then the stuff down here won't help…" Dani looked around the lab. "Danny doesn't actually keep a lot of ecto-equipment here. He says he wants to have plenty of space. So he keeps a lot of stuff stored away."

"Where?" Jinx raised an eyebrow.

Dani bit her lip. There was actually a secret vault room in the lab. It was hard to access, though. You had to faze through a certain spot in the wall. Then there were DNA and voice scanners, all of which were set to the three halfas. Then you had to several passwords. Finally, a surge of ectoplasm was needed to unlock the door.

It was all very complicated, but Dani understood why there was so much security. Only some of the most dangerous and useful equipment was stored in there. The vault contained things from simple Thermoses, through Danny's ghostly item collection, to the most dangerous ecto-weapon ever created…the Fenton Exoskeleton.

Obviously, she couldn't reveal this vault without revealing some of her family's most guarded secrets, so Dani had only one more option. "We keep a lot of stuff in Fenton Works. I can get us in."

"But I thought…" Jinx scrounged her brow in thought. "Never mind, grab as many weapons as possible and let's go. We'll have to move slowly, so we won't draw their attention.

* * *

><p>Danny yawned as exited the bathroom. He had just changed back into his human form. The halfa was hoping to get to school earlier than this, but the Box Ghost made sure to annoy Danny enough to waste valuable time.<p>

"Hey, man." Tucker greeted his friend as Danny approached his locker. "I thought you were going to be late."

"Almost was," Danny commented as he opened his locker. "Why are Val and Dani never around when I could really use their help."

"It's what we guys do." Tucker grinned. "Wait on women."

"I don't know how to challenge that," Danny smiled as he grabbed his books. "But I wouldn't say that around Sam. She would freak."

Tucker snorted, "You are totally whipped."

"You are the second person to say that today you know…"Danny mumbled.

"The truth hurts, dude." Tucker joked.

"At least I have a girlfriend." Danny retorted.

"Woah, bro, that is below the belt." Tucker sulked.

"You started it, man." Danny playfully punched Tucker on the arm. "I just ended it."

"You do realize that I will have to get my revenge." Tucker pointed out.

"And you realize that I will have skillfully avoid all your revenge attempts and hit you back twice as hard." Danny argued.

"…I liked this banter thing more when you didn't have superpowers…" Tucker moaned dramatically.

"Hey, you have your tech and I…" Danny paused dramatically. "HAVE THE POWER!"

"You are such a dork…" Sam said as she flung her arm around her boyfriend.

"Sam! How long have you been here?" Danny's face flushed.

Sam smirked then kissed Danny on cheek. "Long enough to see you embarrass yourself."

"That could be any time between now and the time Danny was born." Tucker joked.

"Oh ha ha," Danny grumbled as he put his arm around Sam. "That's a good one Tuck. Remember this, though, you may have had your revenge…but revenge is cold." Danny's eye's glowed a cold blue for a moment.

Tucker shivered, "Yeah, I definitely miss the days where I could make fun of you at will."

The group laughed at the tech geek's misfortune. Danny loved times like this. He and his friends just hanging out and being teenagers. It was great…

…_wrong…up…real…_

Danny flinched. "Did you hear that?"

Tucker raised an eyebrow. "Hear what? Laughter?"

"No I heard…" Danny looked around. "I don't know what I heard…"

Sam chuckled, " You're messing with us, right? Come on you two. We have class and I don't want Lancer to get mad at us this early in the morning."

"Yes, Sam/Dear…" Both boys dutifully stated.

As they walked, Danny looked back. He could have sworn he heard something.

* * *

><p>"There it is." Jinx looked out of the alley they were in and saw Fenton Works.<p>

"About time." Dani grumbled. "We've been trying to get here for hours."

"I told you, we have to move slowly." Jinx glared at the younger girl. "If those sleep walkers see us, it's over."

It was true. Many sleep walkers were patrolling the city. The two girls had kept to the shadows in an attempt to stay hidden. It had worked, but it was a slow process.

"I know…I'm sorry…" Dani whispered. "I-I'm just worried. Danny and my Dad are gone. Why would the sleep walkers take them and not me?"

Dani remembered that Danny went into the Ghost Zone, but that was over a week ago. She didn't want to think about what his lack of presence in this situation. Plus her Dad was gone…Any girl would be scared at this point.

Jinx eyes turned soft for a moment. "I don't know kid. They moved all the people indoors and seem to take care of them. Maybe they just didn't care if it was the correct home?"

"…Maybe…" Dani agreed.

"Don't worry we will find your Dad and Dann-err Fenton." Jinx corrected herself

Dani caught this mistake, but said nothing. "Okay… Let's just get inside."

"Alright," Jinx looked outside the alley. "The coast is clear. Let's move now before more sleep walkers come."

The two sprinted across the street as fast as possible. Unfortunately, they were weighed down by the various ecto-weapons they were carrying. As such, they had to be careful not to drop said weaponry.

"Alright," Dani said as she unlocked the door. "Stay behind me. The security is activated and it will attack you if I don't deactivate it."

Jinx would later think back on this incident with what she would begrudgingly call fear. For as soon as Dani opened the door, the only thing Jinx could see was guns and weapons pointed at them. She would honestly say that this had to be the most security she had ever seen. And considering that she had broken into places like Wayne Tech and Star Labs, that was saying something.

"**Presenting warning: Leave or be killed.**" A computerized voice warned.

"Negative." Dani answered. "This is Danielle Masters. Shut down attack system."

"**Scanning**." The voice instructed. Then a scanner light covered the young girl. It scanned her from head to two. "**DNA trait F detected. Present password for voice recognition.**"

"…" Dani turned toward Jinx. The pinkette understood what she wanted. With a sigh, Jinx covered her ears. "The password is… Absolution."

"**Password accepted.**" The weapons instantly disarmed and retreated into the ceiling, walls, and floor.

"Why is the password Absolution?" Jinx asked.

"I thought you were covering your ears!" Dani glared.

"Really?" Jinx raised an eyebrow. "You believed that? I guess you are ten…"

Dani gritted her teeth . If only she could go ghost. Then she would show this thief. "You jerk…"

"Yeah, yeah…" Jinx waver off the girl's anger. "You never answered. Why is the password Absolution?"

"I never asked…" Dani sulked over the fact she got tricked..

"Absolve means to free from guilt or blame…" Jinx noted then thought. 'Does it have to do with survivor's guilt…poor Danny.'

"Whatever." Dani grunted. "I'm going to see if Danny's here."

The halfa ran upstairs to see if Danny was there. Logically, it made no sense why Danny would be here and yet there was no ghost shield up, but that didn't matter to the halfa. She was afraid for her brother and father.

Dani checked all the rooms on the top floor. She had never been to the upper floors of Fenton Works, so she checked each room randomly. Each room she checked was empty. She kept checking until…

Dani opened the door to a room with various NASA posters. The halfa instantly knew it was Danny's old room. The bad thing was that Danny wasn't in the bed.

"Maybe he and Dad are in the lab." Dani mumbled to herself.

"They're not." Jinx appeared in the doorway. "I checked all over the lower levels. Even that basement lab. No one else is here."

Dani said nothing.

"Don't worry, we'll find him Dani." Jinx tried to comfort the younger girl.

"I don't need your comfort." Dani snapped. "Don't act like you even care about them! You don't know him so don't use Danny's name like you do."

Jinx paused for a moment. She seemed conflicted and hurt. "But I…" Dani didn't hear the last part because the bad luck thief mumbled it.

"Alright…I guess you're right Masters." Jinx turned. "Let's just get to the lab and find those weapons."

"…Wait…" Dani's voice caused Jinx to pause. "I'm sorry…I shouldn't have snapped at you like that. You did free me after all."

Jinx sighed. "It's alright…I know how you are feeling, but there is no time to be angry."

Dani nodded. "Yeah, we have work to do."

* * *

><p>"As you can see. Grammar is a huge part of…" Mr. Lancer lectured his first morning class. As usual, Danny was having a hard time paying attention in Lancer's class. The reason had changed over the months though. It was originally plain boredom. Later it was fatigue from ghost fighting. But now…<p>

Well, Danny was currently sitting behind his girlfriend and was having a hard time not staring…and there was the fact that they were texting each other.

Danny discretely looked at his phone. Sam's text read, 'Would you quit starring at the back of my head?'

'How did you notice?' Danny responded. She never turned around.

'Eyes in the back of my head.' Sam texted.

'U 2? I thought it just my mom and Jazz…' Danny mentally sighed.

'It's all women, Danny. We know everything J .'

'So I will never get away with anything?'

'No.'

Danny chuckled. 'Good to know.'

"Something funny about grammar, Mr. Fenton?" Mr. Lancer inquired.

"Oh…" Danny looked up at the front of the class. "Yeah, you know…verbs…adjectives… It is all pretty hilarious."

"Uh huh…" Mr. Lancer obviously wasn't buying it. "What was I just talking about?"

"…Grammar?" Danny stated.

Everyone in the class laughed. Tucker grinned at him. Even the A-list students laughed, but Sam just rolled her eyes at her boyfriend. She was used to his sarcasm

Mr. Lancer sighed. "Just…pay attention."

"Yes, sir!" Danny saluted.

"Nice job, man." Tucker smiled. "Lancer has been off your back lately."

"Yeah," Danny looked at the bald teacher. "It's nice to have a teacher on my side for once."

Lancer had found out Danny's secret a while ago. He had, of course, freaked out at first. Luckily, Danny managed to calm him down enough to explain. Trying to live with his teacher knowing his secret was awkward at first, but it proved to be useful.

There were several instances where Mr. Lancer helped Danny. He vouched for Danny and worked with the halfa on the home work assignments. Sometimes, he even let Danny out of class without question.

_This…wrong….up….not real…_

Danny jumped. There it was again! He knew he wasn't imagining it! It was probably a ghost that was messing with him. Most likely, Skulker was trying to distract him.

Suddenly the fire alarm went off. This was actually a common occurrence in Casper High. There were not many fires, but there were a lot of ghost attacks and judging by Danny's ghost sense going of…it was probably the latter.

'That proves it!' Danny determined. 'The whisper was a ghost!'

"Alright people!" Mr. Lacer ordered. "Single file lines!"

"You know, Mr. Lancer," Tucker grinned. "It's funny that you used a fragment just after lecturing us on grammar."

"Yes," Mr. Lancer agreed. "It's almost as funny as you cleaning the erasers after school."

Tucker's smile fell. "I'll just…get in line."

Mr. Lancer smirked. "I thought so."

Danny approached the teacher. "Mr. Lancer."

"Yes, Mr. Fenton?" Lancer turned and instantly recognized that look. This was a ghost attack. "…I'll cover for you."

"Thanks!" Danny shouted as he ran down the hall and slammed himself into a locker. "I'm going ghost!"

* * *

><p>"Alright…" Dani looked at Jinx after they collected the weapons. "What's the plan?"<p>

Currently, the two were in the upstairs operations center. They had moved all the useful equipment they could to the ops center and had organized them. Some of them were too heavy to carry, but Dani grabbed a portable Fenton Crammer before they left the mansion. They would be able to take a lot.

The best part, though, was the portable ghost shield they found. It had a low battery capacity, but there was no doubt to its value. Becoming completely invulnerable to the enemy was an excellent strategy, but it could not be moved and used at the same time, so they would only use it during an emergency.

Jinx looked over what they gathered then turned and pointed out a map that she brought with her. "I scoped out the place where the sleep walkers seem to be originating from. I couldn't get too close, but there seems to be some power source in the center. The plan is simple: sneak in, destroy the place, and take the head ghost down with a bullet to the head."

Dani frowned. She didn't like that plan. "That's your plan? Seems like the suicide mission from Mass Effect 2...except with two people and no awesome space battles."

"Shut up, I haven't beat it yet…" Jinx stated. "Besides, I told you that this is my last resort. I tried every other possible option. This is the only thing I could think of. If you don't like you can stay here. This doesn't have a very high chance of success."

"…If only Danny and Dad were here…" Dani looked around the lab. "They would know what to do…"

"Well, I'm sorry, but they're not here." Jinx stated. "And this is all I've got."

Dani looked out the window. "Yah, don't worry. I'm on board."

Jinx nodded. "Alright, then let's go."

Just as Dani was about to turn, a flash of red caught her eye. At first she assumed it was a walker, but all walkers were green. "What is that?"

"What?" Jinx turned to the window.

"That," Dani pointed to the spot of red. It was in a nearby alley. "What is that?"

"…I don't know…" Jinx reached down into her dark purple boot and pulled out small tech binoculars. "I-I can't believe it…"

"What?" Dani almost shouted.

"That's Red Tornado!" Jinx was shocked. "That means… my messages were received."

"I guess it would make sense that Red Tornado would get your messages." Dani noted. "He's an android. He doesn't need to sleep."

"Yeah," Jinx grinned. "We can get him to help. This is great! With him we might…oh, no…"

"What?" Dani turned to the thief.

"He's not alone…" Jinx handed Dani the binoculars. "Look."

"…Batman and Robin…" Dani grinned. "This just got a lot easier! Right Jinx!?…Jinx?"

Jinx had taken several steps back. "No…I can't let him see me…If he does….Dad will be mad…"

"Jinx?" Dani asked again.

Jinx jolted. She seemed surprised that Dani was here for a moment. A second later, she recovered. "Sorry, I…have to go…"

"Go!?" Dani was indignant. "What about the plan?"

"The plan has changed." Jinx glared out the window. "I can't work with Batman."

"What? He's a hero!" Dani pointed out.

"And I'm not. I'm the opposite." Jinx turned and began walking away.

"So? They don't know that?" Dani argued.

"If Batman sees me, everything is over." Jinx looked down at the smaller girl. "I've worked hard to make sure no one knows about me and my powers. Red Tornado was one thing. He wouldn't examine my every move in extreme detail, but Batman…He will remember everything."

"So? The fate of the world is at stake!" Dani glared.

"I won't abandon the world…or you." Jinx knelt. She understood how Dani was feeling. "I will work in the shadows…at a distance that even Batman won't notice."

Dani was silent for a moment. "…Okay…"

Jinx nodded. "Alright. I need to go, but I need you to do two things for me."

"What is it?" Dani questioned.

"First, wait two minutes after I leave to contact them. I'll get out of the building and get a good distance away. Second, don't tell them about me, please. Tell them you sent out the signals. Do this and I won't hold my freeing you over your head." Jinx explained.

"Are you blackmailing me?" Dani asked.

"Yes." Jinx answered bluntly.

"…Okay, I can respect that. You've got a deal." Dani nodded. "But leave the ecto weapons. I don't want you taking them."

"Sigh…You caught me…Fine…." Jinx put her Fenton Crammer on the table. "Thanks. I should get going." Jinx got up and began to leave.

As she watched her leave, Dani realized something. "They won't let me go along with them."

"…No they won't." Jinx responded.

Dani sighed. "Huge bummer."

Jinx just laughed. "I bet."

After Jinx left, Dani waited two minutes impatiently. After she kept her promise, the girl smiled. In a flash of white light, Dani changed into Spirit. They might not let Danielle Masters go, but they would let Spirit the partner of Danny Phantom go help save the world.

"Time to get those heroes." Spirit turned invisible and flew down to the alley.

* * *

><p>Phantom flew above the school. He saw the ghost faze through the roof. He wasn't sure why the ghost would get his attention just to leave, but…<p>

The rockets being aimed at his head were probably a good clue.

"Hello, whelp," Skulker grinned. "Today is the day I mount you on my wall!"

"Skulker," Danny glared. "So it was you that was messing with me by using those strange whispers earlier."

"Huh?" Skulker paused for a moment. "Whispers? What are you talking about?"

That was strange. Skulker usually loved to boast about things. "…It wasn't you?"

"No." Skulker glared. "Enough with your distraction! I'll-Ack!"

"You should really pay more attention!" Red Huntress shouted as she blasted Skulker from the side.

"Ah, the girl." Skulker grinned. "Now I can kill two birds with one stone."

"Please," Red Huntress mocked. "You couldn't kill a bird with a rocket launcher!"

Skulker growled. "Silence!"

The hunter ghost fired his various rockets and lasers at the duo. Phantom brought up a barrier to protect them, though. The ecto shots didn't even cause the shield to falter a little.

Before the smoke could die down, Red Huntress rocketed off to the side. She opened fire on hunter. Skulker dodged all the attacks, but it left him open for Phantom.

"Arg!" Skulker's left arm was blasted off.

"Wow!" Phantom smirked. "You really do need to pay more attention!"

"Whelp, I will destroy you!" Skulker yelled out.

"Yeah," Phantom pulled out a Fenton Thermos and captured the hunter. "What else is new?"

"Well, that was easy." Red Huntress commented.

"Well, it was two against one." Phantom pointed out.

"Meh," Red Huntress shrugged. "He was the one that was stupid enough to attack the school we both go to."

Phantom chuckled. "You have a point."

_This is wrong…up…It's…real…_

Phantom glared around. There it was again. "What was that?"

"What was what?" Red Huntress asked.

"That whisper." Phantom clarified.

"You're loosing it, spook." Red Huntress joked. "It's probably just the wind."

"Yeah…The wind." Phantom wasn't completely certain, though.

* * *

><p>Spirit had a hard time not shrinking under the glare of the Batman. Well, she thinks that he was glaring. The mask…kind of made it hard to tell…<p>

"So you were the one that sent out that signal?" Batman asked.

"Eh…yes, sir?" Spirit cowered.

After approaching the heroes, Spirit brought them into the ops center. Off course, Robin inquired as to why a ghost had access to a ghost hunter's house, but Batman easily diverted the question by saying that she was a ghost hunter too.

Spirit was aware that the Batman knew Danny's secret. Thus, in tern, he probably knew her secret. Not that Danny told him, but if you figure one out, the other isn't exactly all that hard…just ask Valerie.

"Alright." Batman stated. His features gave nothing away, but Spirit had a feeling that he didn't believer her. "You did well, then. I had an assumption that it all originated from here, but after the army of ghosts overran my headquarters in Gotham, I had no way of tracking the signal from the helmets and could not follow the sleep walkers. Luckily, you're transmition told us that you were here. It took us a while to get here without drawing attention."

"Huh?" Spirit tilted her head in confusion. "Don't you have super tech or something? Why would it take you so long to get here."

Red Tornado answered. "The ghosts have overrun all known Justice League headquarters. I made it away because sleep is unnecessary for me, and Batman and Robin had technology to prepare them for this, but none of the other leaguers was as fortunate.

"In addition, because the vast ghost army has patrols over all the major cities, none of our teleporting technology is available. Flying would draw too much attention. Our only option was more discrete method of travel."

"Oh…" Spirit nodded in understanding. "You must be exhausted…"

"We'll deal with it." Robin reassured her.

"…Have we met?" Spirit examined the cute teenage boy before her. "Because it feels like we met before."

"No, but…" Robin scratched his chin. "I get that feeling too…"

"Now is not the time." Batman intervened before either child/teen could figure out where they met each other. "We need to find the source of all these ghosts and come up with a plan of attack."

"Indeed." Red Tornado agreed. "There will be no point of coming here if we can't learn who is behind this."

"I know where their main base is." Spirit stated.

All three heroes turned toward the girl. "You do?" Robin asked.

"Yeah," Spirit walked over to the map on the table. "It's right here, I-uh…couldn't go alone. It would be suicide."

"Where are the ones known as Danny Phantom and Red Huntress?" Red Tornado questioned. "As I can recall, they normally assist you in situations such as this."

"I don't know." Spirit's head dropped. "I don't know where Phantom is. The last thing I remember is that he went to the Ghost Zone to deal with a problem. And Red Huntress…she's probably asleep too. You couldn't figure out a way to wake people up?"

Batman shook his head. "There was never any time or opportunity. Going to way up other leaguers would have but us in unnecessary danger. We had to focus on the mission."

Spirit nodded in understanding. "I get it…"

She would have been willing to tell them Red Huntress' identity if they had a way to wake her up. She could have told Jinx, but…Jinx was a thief and these guys were heroes. There was a huge difference.

"Alright, it's just us then." Spirit acknowledged.

"A four man assault is better than nothing." Red Tornado noted.

"Agreed." Barman nodded his head.

"Well…" Spirit looked around. "You can have your pick of the equipment here. It's not mine, but I'm sure that Fenton kid won't mind us using them to save the world."

Robin looked around the room excitedly. He was obviously fascinated by all the fancy tech. His mentor thought otherwise, though.

Batman shook his head. "No, Robin and I already have the equipment necessary to fight the ghosts. These…guns are unnecessary."

Red Tornado the spoke up. "Using these weapons will restrict my powers. I will forgo them unless you can install them into my body."

"I…don't think I can do that." Spirit deadpanned.

"Then I will make do." Red Tornado stated.

"Alright…" Spirit grabbed all the gear she had prepared for herself. "Let's go."

As the group left, none of them realized something very important. Three of them merely lacked the necessary knowledge to realize this critical error. Spirit, however, could have remembered, but with everything going on, no one could blame her for forgetting.

So as they left, no one realized that they left Fenton Works completely unguarded…

* * *

><p>"I swear," Danny said as he, Tucker, and Klemper played video games in Danny's room. "I've been hearing these whispers all day."<p>

"Is it a ghost?" Tucker asked.

"I don't think so," Danny answered. "My ghost sense would have gone off."

"Maybe you should just get your ears checked." Klemper suggested. "All those head blows cannot be good for you."

"…Maybe, but…it's not just that." Danny placed his controller down. "I've…got this weird feeling."

"Weird feeling?" Tucker raised an eyebrow. "Did you eat too many of your mom's cookies. You ate like eleven of them."

"No, It's not that…" Danny mumbled.

"Then what is it?" Klemper questioned.

"I feel…like something is off." Danny glared at his hands. "Like something is here that shouldn't be. I don't think it's a bad thing, but a deep part of me feels as if I'm just fooling myself into thinking that everything is okay…"

"I wouldn't worry about it." Jazz's voice came from Danny's door.

"Jazz, I thought I asked you not to eavesdrop on my conversations." Danny groaned.

"Sorry, but you were being very loud." Jazz obviously was sorry.

Danny sighed. "Alright, then o genius psychologist guru, what is your opinion."

"This all has to do with your ghost powers." Jazz stated as she sat on his bed. "After all your struggles, you finally found some peace with your being a half ghost. It seems wrong to you because the struggles of going through this alone have made you paranoid.

"Now that you have Uncle Vlad teaching you and Danielle and Red Huntress helping you, you are afraid that you will become too comfortable with this stability. You're afraid that if you relax you will get hurt or even get someone else hurt." Jazz explained.

"That does sound like you dude." Tucker pointed out.

"You are very paranoid sometimes." Klemper agreed.

"So what do you suggest I do?" Danny asked his sister.

"Just relax Danny." Jazz smiled. "You're too tense. Just let it all go and let things be."

"Yeah, Danny." Tucker playfully punched Danny's arm. "Chillax, man."

"…I guess you're right." Danny agreed.

"I know I'm right." Jazz stated. "I wouldn't be going to Yale if I was wrong most of the time."

Klemper chuckled. "She had to bring up the Yale thing again…"

"Relax…." Danny closed his eyes in thought.

"Yeah, just remember that Mom, Dad, your friends, and I will always be there for you." Jazz place her hand on her brother's shoulder.

"…Thanks, Jazz." Danny smiled at his sister.

"No problem." Jazz nodded.

"I would hate to bring this up and ruin your sibling moment, but…" Tucker looked at his PDA. "Aren't you supposed to meet Sam in a few minutes?"

"Oh crap!" Danny stood to his feet in panic. "You're right! I need to go!"

As the halfa fazed through the roof, he heard Klemper say, "So much for relaxing…"

* * *

><p>"A mattress warehouse?" Robin raised an eyebrow as they sneaked into the ghost's hide out. "Why do all the villains hide in suck obvious places? They always hide in places that either involves their powers or gimmicks."<p>

Spirit shrugged. "Maybe you should ask them?"

Robin smirked. "Maybe I will…"

"Focus you two." Batman scolded them. "We need to be silent and ready."

"Yes, sir." Both children responded.

Getting into the warehouse was very easy. The ghost obviously never thought that someone would wake up and come to his hideout. Spirit wasn't sure if this was confidence or arrogance, but considering that the whole world was asleep…maybe that arrogance was well deserved.

"What doesn't seem logical to me is that why this ghost is doing this He has everyone asleep and has his sleep walkers take care of them." Red Tornado stated. "What does he gain?"

"Some ghosts gain power by absorbing some thing like emotions." Spirit commented. "He's probably doing this to gain power."

"That is…unfortunate." Batman stated. "That means he is extremely powerful by now. It also means that we will have to use the element of surprise to take him down."

"Yeah, we can use a Fenton Thermos to…" Spirit's eyes wondered to a group of figures on a pile of mattresses. "…Klemper!"

"Spirit, no." Batman reached out to stop the girl. "Stay with the group."

"But those are my friends." Spirit looked at the figures laying on the mattress. Various ghost animals were on the mattresses. They all had the sleep helmets on their heads. "Well…those three are."

"I know, but it might be some sort of trap." Batman stated.

Spirit nodded. She may have wanted to help her friends, but being captured wouldn't help.

"What are they doing here, though." Robin asked.

"I don't know." Spirit shook her head. "They went with Phantom into the Ghost Zone, but…that means he must be around here too." Spirit looked around the various mattresses, but she couldn't find her brother.

"I don't see Phantom anywhere in the group before us." Red Tornado stated.

"Then…did the ghost…kill him." Spirit whispered.

"Doubtful." Batman reassured the young ghost. "This ghost didn't kill anyone so far. He just put them all to sleep."

"Then where is he?" Spirit asked.

Robin activated his gauntlet computer. "I can't tell you that, but I can tell where a large spike of energy is coming from…and I mean a huge energy spike. This is enough to power two Gotham's…."

"Then that is where we head." Batman stated. He then turned toward the girl ghost. "Don't worry. We will find your cousin after we stop the ghost."

"Okay…" Spirit mumbled.

The group continued to sneak around the mattresses. They could see the machine connected to the satellite. Just as they turned the corner to see the machine, the group was shocked by what they saw. Three large pods were at the center of the machine. Three sleeping ghosts were in the pods. Spirit didn't recognize the one with spiky black hair and red highlights. She recognized the other two, though.

"That's Danny and my Dad!" Spirit's eyes widened as she pointed to the two ghosts.

"That blue guy is your dad?" Robin asked in shock. He didn't even know that ghosts could have children.

"Yeah, and it looks like the ghost captured him and…Phantom and put them in that machine…" Spirit said desperately.

"You are correct ghost girl…" An echoing voice boomed across the warehouse. Suddenly, eight sleep walkers popped out of the floor, grabbed the four heroes, and pulled them out into the open. All four heroes struggled to free themselves, but they were incredibly strong.

Suddenly, a incredibly large ghost appeared in front of them. The ghost appeared like a demon with his down ward purple horns and red eyes with a single scar running down his left eye. His body seemed to be made of stars. But that was not the intimidating part. The ghost was so large that he almost reached the ceiling.

"I did capture your family." The ghost smiled and showed his sharp white teeth. "Phantom and Torch made their capture all too easy. Their fight pushed them to the point of exhaustion." The ghost then laughed. "To think that you actually tried to sneak into here without me knowing. I know everything now."

"Who are you and why would you do this!" Spirit yelled out.

"I am Nocturne the ghost of sleep." Nocturne explained. "And the reason I did this was simple. I gain power from people's dreams."

"We could have guessed that." Batman stated. "But I think the girl is asking why you captured these specific three ghosts like this."

"Ah, yes," Suddenly, the huge ghost shrunk down. He was still tall. He was about ten feet tall, but not anywhere as huge as before. "The reason I captured these three ghost is the fact that they are S-rank ghosts."

"S-rank?" Red Tornado questioned. "I was unaware that ghosts had such ranks."

"Understandable." Nocturne nodded. "The stronger ghosts usually never leave the Ghost Zone, so humans are unaware of their true power. You see ghost's true strength comes from their emotions, and these ghost have very strong emotions and thus…their dreams are incredibly powerful."

"So you captured them because their dreams give you more power than any other being on Earth." Batman concluded.

"Oh, you don't know the half of it." Nocturne gestured to Phantom and the ghost he called Torch. "These two and their allies had a huge battle. Technically, Phantom's group won, but in the end, I was a the big winner.

"After those two passed out, I was drawn there by the incredible power of their dreams. After I captured them, I came here to Amity Park and captured Plasmius." Nocturne gained a huge grin. "It was amazing. In an instant, I had all the power I needed to create a vast army of sleep walkers.

"I had to be careful, of course. If I drew too much attention at first, the Justice League would have found me and stopped me. So I discreetly attacked the cities which had members first. Ha! Even the all powerful Superman needs to sleep apparently. Then from there, the rest of the world was easy, but…it appears I missed some…

"Tell, me ghost girl how did you wake up?" Nocturne stared at the young girl.

"…I'm just awesome that way…" Spirit stated.

"I'm sure…" Nocturne. "Funny thing about dreams. They are the gateway to the subconscious. They tell what you want most…for example…

"The ghost girl who dreams of combat and desserts." Nocturne caused Spirit to blush. "Ah, but that is the merely the simple desires of youth. The older generation's are so much more ambitious…

Nocturne gestured to Torch. "Fame and glory."

Nocturne gestured to Plasmius. "Great power and a family he was never allowed have."

Nocturne gestured to Phantom. "Or even something as simple as gaining lost loved ones."

Spirit was silent as she heard about her family's dreams. This was wrong. He was taking their dreams and exploiting their desires!

"Your perverting the hopes and dreams of everyone in the world by using them for your own power." Robin growled.

"From your perspective maybe," Nocturne grinned. "But from mine it is beautiful."

"While I do not share or understand a human's dreams, I agree with Robin." Suddenly the sleep walkers holding Red Tornado were blasted away and destroyed by a concentrated tornado. "You must be stopped."

"Indeed." Batman's gauntlets glowed green as he slipped out of the walker's grasp, grabbed the sleep walkers, and destroyed them with swift strikes. He then threw some baterangs to destroy the sleep walkers holding Robin and Spirit. "He must be stopped."

Nocturne merely smiled. "You can try, but…" All around the the heroes, sleep walkers began to form. "I doubt that you will succeed. Now, let's get this over with. I have over nuisances to deal with."

* * *

><p>"Sooooooo…" Danny looked at the sight before him. "You made us a picnic?"<p>

Right now, the couple was on a high hill overlooking the city. The sun was setting and despite it being winter, the weather was pretty warm, especially with their hoodies. In all, it was very romantic.

"Yep," Sam stated as she sat down on the blanket. "You got a problem with it?"

"No no" Danny waved his hands in denial. "It just seems weird… especially on a Monday. You hate Mondays."

"That I do." Sam started to unpack the basket. "Which is why I thought both of us could use a pick-me-up. Now, shut up and sit down, you dork."

"Yes, dear." Danny dutifully stated as he sat down next to his girlfriend. "You know if you told me, I would have brought my own stuff. That way you wouldn't have to pack it all by yourself."

"If I told you, it wouldn't have been a surprise." Sam smiled.

"True." Danny smiled back and helped his girlfriend unpack. "So let me guess. Fruits, vegetables, tofu sandwiches, and…"

"Salad." Sam stated.

"That's just fruits and vegetables." Danny pointed out.

"No," Sam retorted. "It's also croutons, salad dressing, and Ranch."

"Ah, I see." Danny pulled out a container of lemonade. "I'll never figure out how you pack so much into such a little container.."

"It's a girl thing." Sam took a bite out of her sandwich.

"So you agree with me then." Danny ate some grapes. "I'll never understand."

"Knowing you…Probably not." Sam smirked.

"It's so nice to know that my girlfriend has such faith in me." Danny mumbled.

"Well, it did take you forever to figure out that I liked you." Sam argued. "Then it took you even longer to ask me out."

"If I remember correctly." Danny said inbetween bites. "You made the first move."

"Well if I didn't, we never would have started dating." Sam responded.

"I would have built up the courage eventually…" Danny weakly argued.

"I may be patient, Danny." Sam gave her boyfriend a bland look. "But I'm not that patient."

"You wound me." Danny faked cried.

"No more than the ghosts do every day." Sam pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess." Danny rubbed the back of his head.

_This is wrong…not real. Wake up…_

Damn. There it was again. He had thought he had dealt with this earlier.

"Okay, what's wrong?" Sam questioned.

"Why do you think that something is wrong?" Danny raised an eyebrow.

"You've been acting weird all day." Sam explained. "I noticed it this morning."

"It's…" Danny thought about what Jazz told him. "…just been a weird day. I think I just need some time to relax."

"Well…" Sam smirked. "Valerie agreed to handle patrol for tonight and Dani can make up for the extra slack, \sooooo…."

"So what?" Danny grinned at his girlfriend. He knew what was coming.

Sam scooted up to her boyfriend. "Well, it's just you, me, and nature here. There's a beautiful sunset before us. And we have nothing to do but…relax."

"Or eat?" Danny playfully suggested.

"Right," Sam took a grape and plopped it into her mouth. "Do you want to eat grapes?"

"Yes," Danny leaned in close his girlfriend. "Yes I do…"

As Danny enjoyed himself, the whispers faded. That was it. All he had to do was let go. Relax and let things be. It was all for the best.

After all, what was more important than this?

* * *

><p>"Hahahahahahahha!" Nocturne laughed. "You do realize that you fight is futile? I have absorbed the energy of an entire planet's dreams. I am now all powerful. I can make armies of sleep walkers to fight you."<p>

Spirit glared at the sleep ghost. This fight was not going well. The hundreds of sleep walkers were incredibly strong and even when one was defeated, two more took its place.

After fighting thirty of them nonstop by herself, she was beginning to tire. The others weren't doing very well either. The past week of trying to avoid the walkers had obviously taken it's toll.

Batman's and Robin's equipment were holding the ghosts at bay. A green shield was around them and the equipment Danny gave them were cutting the sleep walkers down. This combined with their martial arts made them fantastic ghost hunters, but with an infinite number of enemies, Spirit wondered how long they could keep this up.

Red Tornado's powers proved to be effective against the ghosts. Most of them couldn't get close to the android, but some managed to scratch him. The android also tried to attack Nocturne and the machines, but the sleep walkers used themselves as shields. None of the tornados got close.

Spirit gritted her teeth. This was not going well. She wished that she had the portable ghost shield, but it was with Jinx's equipment and thus forgotten by the girl. Not that she would have been given the chance to use them. The barrage of attacks never seemed to stop.

"Ah…you had back up…Only one girl? I'm insulted." Nocturne turned his head to the left. A swarm of sleep walkers flew in that direction. "Too bad for you that one of my new found powers is an incredible sensory ability. No one can sneak up on me."

Spirit glared at Nocturne. He must be talking about Jinx. The thief must have been trying to sneak around the warehouse and get to the machine. Unfortunately, she was caught. That was her last hope. They had no more help coming.

"Give up now and…what's that?" Nocturne turned south and glared in that direction. "It can't be…why would he come here?"

'What is he talking about?' Spirit thought as her first slammed into a sleep walker's face.

Robin seemed to read her thoughts. "What?"

"…I'll divert all my sleep walkers to stop him…" Nocturne glared at them "After I deal with you…Sleep walkers form!"

The entire warehouse was filled with sleep walkers. In an instant, all four heroes were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers. Spirit struggled and fought, but there was nothing she could do.

That didn't mean that she would give up, though.

"RAW!" Spirit sent out a large blast of ectoplasm in all directions. The blast destroyed several sleep walkers, but hundreds more were already ready.

"Arg!" Spirit sent out another large blast. No, she wouldn't give up until the end.

* * *

><p>Danny's head was currently resting on Sam's lap as she brushed his hair. He was now content and happy. The whispers and doubts were gone. All that was left was this moment.<p>

_This is wrong…It's not real…wake up…_

Ignore it. It's just his paranoia. Everything was fine. Everything was finally perfect.

_You're in denial._

He was not in denial. Denial would suggest that something was wrong. Nothing is wrong.

_Everything is wrong_.

'Great, now I'm arguing with a mysterious whisper.' Danny grumbled mentally. He sat up and caused his girlfriend to be confused.

"What's wrong Danny?" Sam asked her boyfriend.

"…Everything…" Danny stood up.

"What are you talking about?" Sam questioned in disbelief. "Everything's perfect."

"Yeah…" Danny agreed. "It's too perfect."

"Too perfect?" Sam raised an eyebrow.

"My parents are successful, Jazz has already been accepted to Yale, everyone I care about accepts my powers, and …you're my girlfriend." Danny stated.

"Isn't all that what you want?" Sam didn't know what to feel.

"Yes," Danny answered. "This…is all I want. I am content, but…that's what's wrong. Something deep down is telling me that this is wrong. I-I think it's my ghost half. It's telling me to wake up. That something needs my help…"

"That sounds crazy." Sam stated. "Look around everything's fine."

"It looks fine, but…looks are deceiving…" Danny glared at his surroundings as he took several steps forward.

_Yes. He's deceiving you. This is wrong. It's not real. Wake up!_

"Please stop this, Danny." Sam carefully approached her boyfriend. "You're scarring me."

"Stay back, Sam…" Danny closed his eyes. "I need you to be quiet for a minute."

"But…" Sam began.

"Please, Sam…" Danny pleaded.

"…Okay…" Sam whispered.

Then there was silence. Everything was quiet. It was like nothing was wrong. Danny stood there for several moments, but nothing was wrong. Maybe he was wrong? Maybe he was just being paranoid?

Soon, Danny decided to give up. This was real. He was just being…

"Danny! Don't be fooled! Please, wake up! Please, help! I need you!" Dani's sobbing voice called out loudly all around him.

In an instant, the silence was broken forever.

* * *

><p>After a few more bursts, Spirit pushed herself to her limit. She was completely out of energy. There was no way left for her to fight back.<p>

The sleep walkers were all over her. The were completely restraining her. In a few moments, she would fall asleep. It was over.

She and the rest of the world would forever be asleep. They would live out their lives in some fantasy dream and would never wake up. To many this would sound appealing, but to her, it was terrible.

Spirit would never get the chance to grow up. She would never become a teen, fall in love, or get to live life to the fullest. She would forever be stuck in a juvenile dream, never allowed to wake.

Tears streamed down her face. It wasn't fair! She wanted to live! Why was her best not good enough? Why couldn't she save the day like in her dream? She…she…needed help.

"Danny…Dad…" Spirit sobbed. It was a quite sound. No one would be able to hear it.

"Danny!…Dad!…Help…" This sob was a little louder.

"Danny! Dad! Please, wake up!" The once was pretty loud.

"Dad! Danny! Don't be fooled! Please, wake up! Please, help! I need you!" Spirit was now screaming.

Nocturne laughed. "It's futile ghost girl. They can't hear you. It's over."

"NO! DANNY! DAD! SOMEONE! PLEASE HELP ME!"

* * *

><p>It was all so damn loud! The buzzing! The screaming! The explosions!<p>

Why was it all so loud! Danny fell to his knees. His mind felt as if it was about to explode! So much was going through his mind. Memories were trying to get out, but he was fighting them.

_NO! DANNY! DAD! SOMEONE! PLEASE, HELP ME!_

Then the dam burst. The memories flooded back in a giant wave. Pain crashed throughout Danny's body. It all came back to him.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" Danny screamed as agony coursed through his body.

"Please! Even if you think I'm a fool for asking, I need to ask anyway. Will you train me? Will you teach me, the son of Jack Fenton? Will you instruct a naïve do-gooder? Vlad, will you help me become strong so that I will not fail like this again?" Danny pleaded.

"When you wake up, use your frustration and improve yourself. Learn to control that power you just showed, and you will surpass me one day."

"Mad? Naw. At least you acted like a real man and said 'no' straight to my face. Besides, I'm not one to give up so easily. Especially the things that are hard to get. That makes things even more fun and satisfying when you say 'yes'." Ember gave him a seductive look.

"Yes, it is." Jenifer gave him a look of joy. "You came to save me from a really dangerous place. You could have just let Phantom and them come get me. They have their powers to protect them. You're just a regular human. You could have died, especially because you had no working weapons. Not many people would go. I knew your were special, but this…It was awesome."

"Oh well, I tried. You should know, though. Other people will not be as kind as I was when asking you." Luthor smiled.

"…I do understand that. I was pretty hateful to both sides of you, at one time. I wouldn't have told you either, but…it's so hard to believe. Danny… you're dead." Valerie gained sad eyes.

"Are you okay, Dani?" Danny asked. "I am now."

"Good, because we will be watching you, Mr. Fenton. Be careful not to step out of line." Agent O smirked down at the teenager.

"YYYYYEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!" Phantom yelled in victory. Falling to his knees, Phantom revealed in his victory. Finally, all of his training was finally showing some results.

"…I'm not a monster…" Danny didn't know if he was saying this to himself or her. "I'm not.."

All of their eyes, however, showed understanding. They understood that he did everything possible to save them. His family and friends understood that he could physically do nothing more to save them. All of them understood that he would never, _**never **_become that sick monster. And mostly, they understood that they were going to die. At that moment hot tears rolled down Danny's eyes. He had failed. The only thing he could do was cry, "**NO!**"

Danny felt hot tears run down his face as sobbed in despair. For the first time in months, he allowed himself to cry. His family and friends were dead. This world was a lie. It was all too much to take in.

"Danny…" Sam gentle voice sounded behind him. "Why did you scream? Why are you crying?"

"…Because you're dead…" Danny slowly raised his head.

"What!?" Sam took a step back in surprise.

"You, Tuck, Jazz, Dad, Mom, and even Mr. Lancer are all dead and it is my fault." Danny stood up. "I killed you all in my selfishness."

"What are you talking about!" Sam was outraged. "Look around you everything is fine! I'm alive!"

"This isn't real…" Danny wiped his eyes and repeated what his ghost side had been saying all along. "It's fake. I need to wake up…"

"I-I…" Sam began to panic as the entire world around her began to fade. "I don't understand."

"I'm sorry, Sam." Danny gave his dream girlfriend a hauntingly sad smile. "I have to go now. Dani needs me. Amity parks need me. Heck, the world needs me…I can feel it."

"But…but…" Sam was crying now. The revelation that she didn't actually exist had pushed the normally hard girl to the breaking point. "I can't be fake. I can feel. I can…love." She then gave Danny a longing look. "Don't leave me."

"I don't want to." Danny gently touched Sam's face. "Every fiber in my body wants this to be real, but it isn't. I've been happier in this one week than I have been since you died. I would give anything I own to stay, but I can't give up Dani or my responsibilities."

Sam grabbed his hand. "I understand. It wouldn't be you if you stayed here and let the world rot. Just promise me one thing."

"Anything." Danny agreed.

"Don't let this break you." Sam pleaded. "If we died and you are still the hero, then you have a will of steal. Don't let this, an illusion, be the thing that breaks you."

"…I'll try…" Danny mumbled.

"Thanks…" Sam then hugged Danny. "And also…don't let go until I'm gone. I don't want to fade alone."

"I'm here." Danny held her closely. "I won't leave until the end."

"Thank you." Sam mumbled into his shoulder. Danny could feel his shirt become wet from her tears.

They stayed like this for a moment. Both teens held on for dear life. The world around them quickly faded into nothingness. Then Sam began to fade. Soon there was only a black nothingness.

Suddenly, Danny was overcome by a wave of emotion. Grief, sorrow, agony, and a terrible rage consumed him. Then the halfa let it all out.

* * *

><p>Spirit was completely defeated. The sleep walkers were holding her in place. She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She had failed.<p>

The sleep walkers were dragging her forward by her arms. When they stopped dragging her, Spirit felt a hand lift her lowered head to look up. The smirking face of Nocturne greeted the girl.

"Well, ghost girl you have earned by begrudging respect. You fought off my sleep walkers for a very long time." Nocturne stated. "Don't worry, you're about to go back to your dream world."

"I don't want that." Spirit gritted out as she glared at the sleep ghost. "I want reality."

"Reality is overrated." Nocturne turned to a sleep walker. "Bring the others here too."

The sound of dragging bodies and metal alerted Spirit of the fact that the others had been defeated. She idly wondered whether Jinx was captured or not, but ultimately the thought passed. She had to worry about herself right now.

"Relax, child." Nocturne's hand was covered in a light blue energy. "Your dreams will come true in a minute.

Spirit tried to pull away, but was too weak. The blue energy was merely a few inches away. In a moment, she would be forced into an eternal sleep-

Suddenly the hand flinched back as if it were burned. The sleep walkers were writhing in agony. Spirit could even see out of the corner of her eye that Robin was shaking, Red Tornado was sparking, and even Batman seemed to be sweating a little.

Spirit instantly recognized what was happening. She had experience that feeling before. It was a Haunting Aura…Danny's Haunting Aura. Why was it not affecting her, though?

Nocturne quickly turned toward the pods. Spirit turned her head and saw that the pods and the area around them were covered with ice. This confirmed Spirit's suspicion. Danny was awake!

Suddenly a blazing blue energy came out from Danny's pod. Spirit had to look away from the intense light. The girl then heard a crash. It sounded like the pod was forced open.

Slowly, the light died down. The blue light was still there, but now she could see Phantom. He was kneeling on the ground. He appeared to be shaking.

Phantom's head suddenly shot up. His neon blue eyes showed an intense rage. His face was twisted into an angry snarl. Spirit then realized why Phantom was shaking. He was trembling in a uncontrolled rage.

Phantom's eyes slowly swept through the room. His eyes landed on each sleep walkers. He took a good look at the heroes. The halfa glanced at her for a second, and Spirit felt fear as those hateful, angry eyes stared at her.

Then Phantom turned to Nocturne. He glared long and hard at the sleep ghost. A low growl came from the angry halfa's throat. He bared his teeth and said, "You!"

Phantom stood and gave Nocturne the most hateful look Spirit had ever seen. "That dream was your doing wasn't it?!"

Nocturne opened his mouth to says something, but was cut off by the sleep walkers groaning in agony. They didn't seem very tolerant of the Haunting Aura. Some of them even dissolved.

"It was!" Phantom growled. "You bastard! I'll kill you!"

Phantom rocketed at Nocturne at his top speed. With a loud shout, he slammed into the sleep ghost. The force pushed both ghosts up and up to the ceiling.

Crash! The two slammed through the roof. The hole was surrounded by ice. Looking at the hole, Spirit realized that they would not be coming back anytime soon.

The sleep walkers were now in disarray. They lacked a leader now. Batman and Red Tornado used this for their benefit. They began to destroy the sleep walkers in large numbers. Robin seemed too shaken up to move right now, but he looked like he was pulling himself together.

Spirit tried to get up, but merely fell on her face. In a flash of white light, she transformed back to normal. Luckily for her, though, she was wearing a disguise belt, so her secret was still safe.

Looking up, Dani saw the frozen pods. She tried to move toward them, but barely managed to crawl. Slowly, she tried to get toward the pods. Unfortunatley, some of the sleep walkers noticed her decided to stop her.

Dani's eyes widened in fear as the attack came at her defenseless form. "Ahhh!"

* * *

><p>Phantom carried Nocturne a few blocks away from the warehouse. He wanted this to be away from Dani's innocent eyes. Deciding that he had made enough distance, Phantom crashed Nocturne into the street below.<p>

The impact caused a small crater to form. Nocturne grunted from the blow. Phantom didn't stop there, though. He stood above the sleep ghost and brought a glowing blue fist into Nocturne's face with as much force as he could muster.

Phantom repeated this attack several times. While he did this, Phantom let his anger roll off him in the form of his Haunting Aura. It didn't matter anymore. He was far away enough from Dani so that the girl would not feel the aura. Not that it would matter anyway. This aura was concentrated this time. It was directed solely at Nocturne, the one responsible for Danny's agony and pain.

"Do you know what you've done!" Crash! Phantom's fist smashed into Nocturne's face.

"You made me relive my family's death!" Bam! Another blow.

"You exploited my deepest desires and dreams!" Slam! Frost formed on the ground around them.

"You used my feelings and dreams as your damn food!" Smack!

"You made me live through a perfect life only to force me to kill it!" Phantom roared.

"I'll tear you apart!" Phantom picked Nocturne up any threw him down the street.

Phantom then blasted the sleep ghost with his ice powers. The ground around Nocturne was freezing, but Danny could not see the sleep ghost himself. It didn't matter to him, though. All Phantom could think about was hurting Nocturne.

"Raw!" Phantom sent out one last large burst then stopped to regain his composure. "…Next time think twice before you allow your enemy to rest and heal up for a week…"

Looking down at the giant block of ice, Phantom nodded to himself. Nocturne was out of the picture. Phantom was not satisfied, though. He was going to up there and smash-

"Ah!" A lighter blue energy smashed into Phantom's chest and exploded. The blast caused Phantom's already torn shirt and coat to become almost completely destroyed. They were now just strings hanging off his body.

Phantom clutched his new wound. There were now several bruises and burns on his chest. The wound hurt incredibly badly.

"Foolish ghost boy!" Nocturne appeared out of the ice completely unharmed. "I have absorbed the dreams of three S-rank ghosts and the entire world! I am invincible!"

"We'll see about that!" Phantom roared. He formed a ice broad sword in his hands and lunged forward. Like with how he ended his fight with Torch, Phantom brought the sword down at Nocturne's shoulder. The sleep ghost merely brought his arm up to block. The sword met the arm…and shattered.

"What?" Phantom looked at the broken sword in shock. That attack had beaten Torch!

"See?" Nocturne grinned evilly. "I am all powerful!"

"Yeah, right!" Phantom sent a barrage of punches at Nocturne. None of them caused any effect.

Nocturne then raised an energy covered hand and backhanded the halfa. Phantom's eyes instantly saw stars. His ears rang from the pain as he flew down the street. He landed in a kneeling position, but instantly stood up. The half-ghost could already feel his face beginning to swell.

"Nothing you can do can hurt me." Nocturne stated as he slowly begn to approach the halfa.

Phantom glared at the sleep ghost. His ice powers and regular ectoplasm had no effect so far. He doubted that duplicates would help right now. Hand to hand combat was a no go…That left once option.

Phantom took a deep breath in and roared. His Ghostly Wail slammed into Nocturne and actually pushed the sleep ghost back. Nocturne gained a look of mild pain. He covered his face with his arms and coved himself with a blue light.

Phantom kept his attack up as long as he could. He put all he could into the attack. His week long rest had completely filled his reserves, so it was not that big of a deal. The bad thing was that it wasn't affecting Nocturne ta all anymore.

Stopping his attack, Phantom's eyes widened in complete shock. That was his strongest attack! It could easily defeated large groups of ghosts. It could easily destroy building. It even helped him defeat **him**! (Granted the element of surprise helped) How could it not work!

"I had heard about that attack." Nocturne stated. "I am impressed. Even with all this power, I felt some pain. You have earned some respect."

"How…It's impossible…" Phantom couldn't figure out what had happened. If that attack didn't work…What could he do?

"No, its not." Nocturne outstretched his hand. A large amount of energy covered his arm. It was so bright that Phantom couldn't look at it directly. "Yet I did it, because with everyone sleeping, I am a god!"

Phantom was about to make a witty retort, but a large blast of energy was sent out by Nocturne's hand. The blast was so large, it covered the entire street. Not only that, it was incredibly fast. Phantom barely had time to put up his guard before he was consumed by the energy.

The blast caused Phantom an unbearable amount of pain. It felt as if his entire body was being burned and stabbed. He tried to yell out, but his scream was silent. In an instant, his body was beaten just as badly as when he faced Colossus.

A second later, the blast ended. Phantom's coat, shirt, boots, and bottom half of his pants were completely destroyed now. His body was covered in bruises, burns, welts, and cuts. Smoke rolled of his body. Phantom didn't move though. He was till in the same stance and his arms were still guarding his head. His mouth was still open from the silent scream.

"Thus our fight comes to an end." Nocturne smiled. "Just in time too. Soon, that fool will be here. This was a good warm-up for that freak. But with this power…hahahehehe. I can defeat even him with minimal effor, but first I'll eliminate those bugs back at the warehouse."

Nocturne was about to turn to the warehouse when he heard something unusual. It was a sizzling sound. It sounded like bacon cooking. It was coming right behind him…right from Phantom!

Nocturne looked at the halfa and was shocked. Phantom's wounds were healing at an incredibly fast rate! The bruises fades. The cuts melded. The welts disappeared. In a few second, the ghost boy went from charcoal back into perfect condition.

Slowly, Phantom lowered his eyes. He glared at Nocturne. "That all you got?"

"Ha..ahaha…Hahahahahahah!" Nocturne laughed. "You have rapid regeneration? Now that I did not know!"

Phantom thought. 'Neither did I. It must be a new power…'

"But it has an incredibly high cost!" Nocturne laughed. "Your power is nothing compared to before. It may have allowed you to fight, but now there is no possible way for you to hurt me!"

"You dishonor his resilience, sleep ghost." A booming voice sounded behind Nocturne. "You laugh at such an excellent opponent? I look forward to destroying you."

Nocturne turned and growled. He knew who it was. He had sensed the freak coming long ago. The insects annoyed him enough to forget for a moment, though.

Phantom, however, was shocked at what he saw. He never would have dreamed that such a powerful past opponent would come to help him. "Colossus?"

"Hahahah! Hey there, Phantom!" Colossus grinned. "I can see that you have grown stronger since our fight!"

* * *

><p>Dani's eyes widened in fear as the attack came at her defenseless form. "Ahhh!"<p>

Luckily, the attack never came. A wave of pink energy destroyed the walkers before they could get too close. Dani instantly recognized the energy, and a wave of relief rushed through her body.

"Danielle," Plasmius knelt by his daughter and looked over injuries. "Are you hurt my dear?"

"No," Dani smiled up at her father. "Just tired."

"I see," Plasmius gently picked her up. "Good, because if that disgusting blob had hurt you…heads would be rolling."

"Dad…" Dani hugged her father.

Several sleep walkers attacked them, but they all suddenly stopped and crumbled to the ground. Dani was confused for a moment, but quickly understood. Her dad was using his Haunting Aura.

"You're safe now, my dear." Plasmius swiftly carried her over to a pile of mattresses, "But I must go. Daniel needs my help. This is not a foe he can beat alone."

"…Ok," Dani agreed.

As he walked, the sleep walkers around him all fell to the ground and dissolved. None of them could withstand the father's aura. Eventually, the sleep walkers understood what was happening and gave them a wide distance to walk.

"Do you have any ecto-weapons?" Plasmuis asked as he gently put her down.

"Yeah," Dani pulled out her portable Fenton Crammer.

"Good." Plasmius looked around the room to see Batman, Robin, and Red Tornado fighting. All the sleep walkers were now avoiding the two ghosts out of fear of Vlad. "Although, I do not think you will need them."

"Be careful, Dad." Dani warned.

"Don't worry, my dear." Vlad looked over his shoulder. "I don't believe that I will be going alone."

A large pillar of fire appeared in the warehouse. The fire destroyed several of the sleep walkers. "Who had the audacity to capture Torch! Was the costumed humans or the shiny red guy?! No! Torch sees Nocturne's sleep walkers before Torch! Torch will roast Nocturne alive for this crime!"

* * *

><p>Nocturne grunted as Colossus's shockwave fist rammed into his face. The sleep ghost slid several meters back from the force. He was mostly unharmed, but Phantom could see that the attack hurt somewhat.<p>

"Why are you here, you uncouth brute?!" Nocturne growled.

"Do you honestly think that I could ignore all this?" Colossus gestured all around him. "I'm no moralist, but you put all the humans to sleep to gain some damn power! You have no honor!"

"The time of honor has long since past, you fossil!" Nocturne sent several blasts of energy at Colossus, but the giant countered them with several shockwaves.

"Honor never dies." Colossus growled. He lunged forward and sent several blows at Nocturne. Nocturne blocked all the blows with his energy covered fists. After several blocks, Nocturne decided to strike back. His fist met Colossus's jaw.

Boom! A large blast of energy consumed Colossus's head. The force of the blast caused Colossus to skid back a few feet. Nocturne didn't stop there, though. He then formed a large ball of energy and slammed it into Colossus's chest. Again Colossus skid back.

Phantom could see that Colossus actually had a few scratches and burns. "Meh…That actually stung a little."

"Next time, I'll do more then…" Nocturne felt a hand tap on shoulder and turned. "What? Arg!"

"Don't forget about me!" Phantom snarled as his blue energy covered fist rammed into Nocturne's face. "I still have a grudge you have to deal with!"

Nocturne covered his face and lunged backward to gain some distance. This, however, gave Colossus the opportunity to send a roundhouse kick at Nocturne's side. The force of the blow knocked Nocturne into a nearby building.

"Let me deal with this Phantom." Colossus stated. "He will be a challenge even to me. You are not yet up to this level of combat."

"Doesn't matter to me." Phantom retorted. "He was my opponent first."

"Raw!" Nocturne shouted as he pulled himself up. Green energy blazed around him as the sleep ghost grew as tall as a building.

"Then you should prepare yourself." Colossus took a defensive stance. "This won't be easy."

"I know…" Phantom braced himself.

"I'll turn you to ash!" Nocturne lunged at them.

"That's Torch's line!" A large fire ball smacked into Nocturne's side and sent the sleep ghost tumbling.

"You too? I'll-Arg!" a pink energy disk rammed into Nocturne's face and exploded.

"You'll what?" Plasmius questioned. "Because I believe there is nothing you can do anymore."

Phantom looked over at his mentor. "Good to see you up."

"Can't let you have all the fun child." Plasmius grinned.

"What is Torch? Chopped liver?" Torch complained the lack of reaction.

"No, you're a piece of burned out charcoal." Phantom stated.

"Says the walking ice dispenser!" Torch pointed his newly formed scythe at Phantom.

"Hahahahahahahah! It is good the see that the new generation has formed rivalries!" Colossus laughed.

"The Great General is here?" Torch grinned. "Then Torch challenges you! If Torch defeats you here Torch shall gain eternal glory!"

"I love the spirit, young Torch," Colossus grinned. "But I don't believe now is the time. Our fight will be saved for later."

"Colossus is right." Plasmius mentioned. "We have to deal with Nocturne first and foremost."

"Then let Torch do his thing!" Torch covered himself in fire. "Torch will defeat him in seconds."

"It will not be that easy." Colossus argued. "I shall fight him. I have the most raw power and experience. Besides…my blood is boiling at the chance to fight someone so powerful! Even if the power is stolen."

"No!" Phantom shouted. "He's mine! I'm going to punch his brains out!"

"Daniel, calm down and think rationally." Plasmius ordered. "You already used most of your energy. You wouldn't be able to stand a chance."

"Silence!" Nocturne yelled and gained the attention of all four S-rank ghosts. "You couldn't defeat me even if you all attacked at once!"

The four ghosts looked at each other for a moment, nodded and said in unison. "Challenge accepted."

* * *

><p>Of course, Dani didn't stay away from the action. There was no possible way that she could keep out an epic clash. Unfortunately, she knew that she couldn't fight right now, so she did the only thing she could. After resting a few minutes, she slowly sneaked around to the satellite.<p>

Looking at the machine, Dani began to question what she could do. She was afraid that breaking the machine would backfire. She could try to hack it…but she had no skill in hacking. Who could…

"Need some help?" Robin landed beside her.

"Can you hack this?" Dani asked.

"Yeah," Robin activated his gauntlet computer. "But it might take a while and…"

"Waora!" Sleep walkers began to come at them.

"Them…" Dani took out a pistol from her Fenton Crammer. She shot the sleep walkers closet to them.

"Yeah," Robin continued to work on hacking. "Batman and Red Tornado can take care of the majority of them. That's why Batman ordered me to help you here, but I'm going to need you to hold these green blobs off."

"It would be my genuine pleasure." Dani continued to shoot the sleep walkers down. "But I would suggest that you hurry."

* * *

><p>(Play: Impossible by Manafest)<p>

"HA!" Torch sent a stream of fire at Nocturne. The sleep ghost met the stream with a wave of energy. The stream of fire was quickly overcome by the energy.

"Ack!" Torch was forced to lunge to the side to dodge.

Currently, all five ghosts were high above the city in order to fight at full force. This way, none of them had to worry about destroying the city or killing the innocent people. The fight had been dragging on for a couple of minutes now. The group of four did not allow Nocturne any reprieve to call sleep walkers. It was a constant barrage.

Nocturne was thrown to the side by one of Colossus's shockwaves. Before he could slow down, Phantom blasted him on his other side. Plasmius then came up right in front of Nocturne and formed two finger guns. An uncountable amount of rabid shots of pink bullets shot out of Vlad's and made contact all over Nocturne's body.

"Raw!" Nocturne sent a huge arc of energy at Vlad. Before it could make contact, though, Vlad split into two and dodged the attack with minimal effort.

Suddenly, both Torch and Phantom attacked Nocturne on either side. This time, Nocturne was prepared. He lunged backward and caused the sword and scythe to meet in a blaze of red and blue.

"Remember what happened during our fight?!" Phantom questioned.

"Torch remembers the backlash!" Torch grinned at what Phantom was implying.

"Then show Nocturne!" Both elemental ghost swiped their weapons in Nocturne's direction. The waves of blue and red melded into a giant purple wave.

"Arg." Nocturne was knocked several blocks away. He actually seemed to be injured after that barrage of attacks.

"This doesn't mean that Torch and you are friends." Torch remarked. "Torch still wants Torch's revenge."

"Later." Phantom growled and glared in Nocturne's direction.

All four ghosts then spread out around Nocturne. Completely surrounded, Nocturne didn't know what to do. Before he could get the chance to do anything, though, the four ghosts attacked. They sent waves of energy at Nocturne. The sleep ghost writhed in pain.

"Arg…" Nocturne glared at the energy. "Er….E….Enough!"

Clear blue energy burst out from all around Nocturne. The giant blast hit all four ghosts and knocked them away. Phantom quickly regained his composure an looked around.

All four the ghosts were now injured. They were covered in various scratches and bruises. Nocturne, however, looked even worse. Not even he with all the power from the dreams could withstand their barrage unscathed. But…

Smoke rose off of Nocturne. His injuries quickly healed themselves before their eyes. In moments, he would be back to perfect shape.

"This isn't good. I'm almost out of gas…" Phantom groaned.

"Torch feels that this isn't going well." Torch noted.

"This is what I hate about ghosts who are powered by outside forces!" Colossus shouted in outrage. "They never tier. It's annoying!"

"We'll need to cut off his power." Plasmius observed. "Hopefully the heroes back at the factory destroy the satellite soon."

"So that was your plan!" Nocturne was now completely healed. "You are merely buying time! Then I will finish this farce!"

Nocturne blurred out of their view. All four ghosts looked around, but couldn't see him. Suddenly a white light appeared above them. They all looked and were shocked by what they saw. Nocturne was covered by white ectoplasmic energy.

"No! It can't be!" Torch trembled.

"What?" Phantom question.

"Pure white energy?" Colossus's eyes widened. "I thought it was a myth!"

"A myth?" Phantom was confused.

"What do you mean?" Even Vlad seemed lost.

"In ancient times, white ectoplasm was the sign of absolute ascension!" Colossus explained. "Some even believed it was a signal of godhood."

"I don't believe that, but there is no doubt that it is a sign of great power!" Torch exclaimed. "Attack before he gets the chance.

"Agreed!" Vlad shouted.

Colossus sent a shockwave. Torch attacked with a wave of fire. Plasmius formed his energy into a giant ball and threw it at Nocturne. Phantom used his ice energy to send an ark of energy at the sleep ghost.

All the attacks made contact and caused an explosion. The bad thing was that they…were completely ineffective. The white energy formed a shield around Nocturne and protected him from the blow.

"Impossible…" Vlad mumbled.

"No…" Nocturne pointed his hand down at them. The white energy began to concentrate at the sleep ghost's hand. "It's not for a god!"

"You're no god!" Phantom exclaimed.

"I am now…" The energy around Nocturne's hand looked like a miniature sun. "The god of sleep and dreams."

"Brace yourselves!" Colossus shouted. Green energy burst out and surrounded him in a large blast. Slowly, it bled red. "I'll take the blunt of the attack!"

"Like hell!" Torch also covered himself in an armor of flames. "Torch will stop the attack!"

"Please child!" Vlad scoffed. He formed energy around his hands. It blazed and pulsed until it became completely tame under Vlad's control. "We will defend against it together."

Phantom knew there was not much more he could do, but still agreed. "Let's do this!"

Just as Nocturne launched his attack, as four ghosts braced themselves. The white blaze of energy was enormous, it could cover a fourth of the city. The attack rushed at them and quickly stuck all four ghosts. They all stood their ground and tried to stop the attack. Colossus did take the brunt of the attack. Second was Vlad. Then followed Torch and Phantom. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

* * *

><p>"Are you done yet!?" Dani shouted as she blasted as many sleep walkers as she could.<p>

"I'm sorry!" Robin exclaimed. "This takes time!"

"We're out of time." Dani pulled out another gun. All the others were out of ammo. "They're about to overtake us!"

"Almost there" Sweat pored down Robin's brow.

"Ah!" Dani exclaimed as she smacked her gun across the closest sleep walker's face. "They're here! I can stop them!"

"Three!" Robin shouted.

"Arg!" Dani was tackled by the sleep walkers. "Help!"

"Two!"

The sleep walkers began to charge at Robin.

"One!"

The walkers were almost on him.

Just as he was about to be cut down. Everything stopped. The sleep walkers were gone.

* * *

><p>"Ahhhhh!" The four ghosts shouted as the attack began to push them down.<p>

Suddenly, the attack stopped. Looking up, they saw that Nocturne was now looking at the warehouse. "No! My power source!"

Realizing what happened, Phantom grinned. "They did it!"

"Hellllllllllllllllll Yeah!" Torch celebrated.

"About time…" Vlad mumbled.

"Hahahhaha!" Colossus laughed. "Let's see you fight us now!"

Colossus then rocketed at Nocturne by using a shockwave to break the sound barrier. Nocturne snarled, "Don't get arrogant. I still have the power I already absorbed. I'm still a go-AHHH!"

Nocturne was consumed by a giant shockwave. The shockwave caused the white aura to waver and fade into green. Colossus shouted. "A god my ass!"

"You fool!" Nocturne exclaimed. "My power is…eh?" Nocturne was shocked when he felt something tap on his shoulder. Turning, Nocturne was shocked by what he saw. It was over one hundred duplicated of Plasmius. "Impossible!"

"No…" The Vlad's said in unison. "It's not for me."

Nocturne was then hit by a barrage of fists as all the Plasmius's began to attack. Each duplicate got one hit in before they disappeared in a burst. After all the duplicates disappeared, only one Vlad was left. This Vlad then fired a straight beam of pink energy at the sleep ghost.

Once again, the ectoplasm around Nocturne protected him. After the attack fades, so did the ectoplasm around Nocturne. He was now completely vulnerable.

Just how Torch and Phantom wanted him…

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Nocturne screamed in pain as dome of fire formed around him. He was almost immediacy covered in burns. This time, though, the burns would heal instantly. The damaged caused the sleep ghost to shrink back down to normal size.

Nocturne quickly came to his senses and decided to dispel the dome. He spread out his arms and sent out a burst of energy that blasted away the flames. In doing so, though, Nocturne left himself unprotected.

The first thing Nocturne saw was a mop of white hair. He then noticed the blue energy covering the hair and the body it was attached to. Finally, Nocturne realized that the should of said body was about to ram into at over 200 mph.

"Spear!" Phantom cried as he rammed into Nocturne. The sleep ghost coughed out green blood as the attack forced him and Phantom toward the street below.

The two landed in a heap. Nocturne lay there defeated, but that didn't matter to the blood hungry Phantom. He quickly mounted the sleep ghost and punched him in the face. Then he did it a second time. A third…fourth…fifth…and so on…

Phantom continued to punch Nocturne even after Colossus, Torch, and Vlad landed behind them. They didn't interfere. They understood what was happening and why it happened…or at least they inferred what it was.

Phantom didn't stop punching. Even after Nocturne's face was swelled and bleeding, Phantom kept hitting Nocturne. He was beyond angry. He was blind with rage.

"Daniel…" Vlad finally spoke. "He's defeated."

"He's not dead though." Phantom snarled.

"…" Vlad spoke again. "Are sure this is the path you want to take?"

"Yes!" Phantom went back to hitting Nocturne. "He killed them again!"

Colossus and Torch were silent. The knew about the Nasty Burger incident. They would do nothing to stop Phantom. In the same situation, they would do the same.

"No, he didn't." Vlad reached out to his student. "It was a dream. Please, stop this. Let's go home and get healed up."

Phantom looked up at his mentor. He closed his eyes…and formed an ice broadsword. Raising his sword, Phantom brought it down.

"No!" Vlad yelled.

**Time out!**

Phantom felt powerful arms grab his. From the cry, he instantly knew who was behind him. The master of time was here to intervene.

In his fury, Danny shouted, "You save him, but not my family!"

"I'm not saving anyone." Clockwork stated. "I'm here to give you a choice."

"I made my choice already!" Phantom screamed. "He deserves to die!"

"He does," Clockwork nodded. "He has perverted the purity and innocence of dreams. He tried to conquer the world. He had wronged everyone…you especially. But you don't have to cross this line."

"Why shouldn't I!?" Phantom felt tears run down his face. "My life is a curse! Everyday is torture! Now, it will get even worse then before! Now seems like the best time possible to cross that time."

"Remember your promise!" Clockwork yelled. "You promised your family that you would never become that monster! You promised your little sister to be there for her! You promised to never get in this position again! You promised to not let this break you!"

Danny stopped struggling.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. You must think that I'm hypocritical." Clockwork apologized. "Despite what they think, I don't answer to the Observants. I answer to a higher power. We…the world… needs you to be strong. It needs you to be a hero. So, please, don't do this."

Phantom was silent for a moment, then he yelled. "Rawwwwwww!" and stabbed his sword down as hard as he could.

**Time in!**

* * *

><p>Dani only heard one thing as Batman carried her to where her family was. She heard her father yell. She couldn't see what was happening, but she felt Batman tense up. Then she heard Danny.<p>

"Rawwwwwww!" Then, she heard the sound of concrete being stabbed into.

"Put me down…" Dani whispered as she struggled in Batman's arms. The Dark Knight gently put her down on her feet and she saw what was happening.

Danny was sitting on Nocturne with a broad sword stabbed into the ground right beside Nocturne's head. Her dad was standing behind Danny with his arm reached out to him. The pod ghost that called himself Torch and surprisingly Colossus was there too. They had their arms crossed and were looking on indifferently.

Slowly, Phantom stood up. He was still looking down at Nocturne when he said, "Damn it…you're not worth it…"

Dani whispered, "Danny?"

Phantom looked up at her and she instantly wished he hadn't. His eyes were…so cold and dead. They lost all the spark she was used to seeing. He looked like…whenever his old family was brought up.

Her brother said nothing to her or anyone else. After looking at her, he turned away and began to walk. All three ghosts parted to let him pass.

Looking at Nocturne, Dani was shocked by the sleep ghost's condition. His left horn was broken. His face looked like a black and blue pile of potatoes…a very terrified pile of potatoes.

"Where are you going." Dani heard Batman ask.

Phantom stopped, but did not turn. "Don't know…Somewhere I can work out all this… aggression."

After he was gone, Dani's dad approached her. He picked her up and looked at Batman and the other heroes. "Thank you for protecting her."

Batman nodded.

"If you'll excuse us…I think it is time for us to go." Plasmius then turned to the other ghosts. "Thank you for your help…If you want to go back to the Ghost Zone, just ask."

Torch and Colossus were silent.

Soon, they were flying away. Dani asked, "Dad? What happened to Danny?"

"…He had taken several steps backward. He is in a dark place with no light and has no way out." Vlad frowned.

"Can we help?" Dani whispered.

"Right now…I don't think anyone can."

* * *

><p><strong>Next chapter won't involve DC characters. Chapters Twelve, thirteen, and fourteen will though. In fact, next chapter will mostly be about Dani actually.<strong>

**Thank you all for reading and please remember to...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	11. Nyx

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Human nature is not black and white but black and grey." Graham Greene

* * *

><p>Chapter 11: "Nyx"<p>

(Wednesday-March 3, 2010)

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The sledgehammer beat into the tire that was in the training room. Sweat pored down Danny's face. His arms ached from the continued abuse. He was dead tired, but it was still not enough.

Stopping his training for a moment, Danny looked over at the window. The sun was rising. He had yet another sleepless night.

Ever since his fight with Nocturne, Danny had been plagued by a case of terrible insomnia. It was ironic really, he couldn't sleep because he had to kill his dream life. It was also sickening and disgusting but still ironic.

The only way Danny could force himself to sleep was to work himself to complete exhaustion. His work ethic increased by over 300%. Danny quickly became far more efficient in his inventing. His armory was almost completely filled by now. Besides that, Danny also spent hours upon hours training. In fact, he looked up training methods such as this to help exhaust him more quickly.

It had worked at first…until his stamina skyrocketed with his work ethic. His powers even made his human half stronger. He could spend days awake and his body would not tire. The biggest problem, though, was mental fatigue. While his body could easily handle the strain of staying awake, Danny's teenage mind was not strong enough yet and was beginning to weaken. As a hero, he needed to be sharp enough to be aware in battle. His mind was exhausted and it was showing.

Even when he did pass out from exhaustion, the nightmares bombarded his mind. The images of his family's death, Dark Dan, and his dream world dying arrived every time Danny closed his eyes. Unfortunately, that was the best sleep he could get and Danny accepted it…He hated it, though.

Deciding to get back to work, Danny raised his sledgehammer and once again brought it down. Thud! Thud! Thud!

It was going to be a long morning.

* * *

><p>"Another boring day…" Spirit mumbled as she flew to her school.<p>

The past few weeks had been terrible for the young halfa. Danny was always in a bad mood. Her dad had become extremely overprotective of her. Wulf left to travel across the country. Klemper was spending most of his time in the Land of the Far Frozen. Cujo was always sleeping. Worst of all though…There had only been a few ghost attacks!

After the Nocturne Crisis as the news had come to call it, the atmosphere was extremely tense. Every channel was reporting about the week where the whole world was asleep. Everyone was looking at Amity Park after Batman and Red Tornado explained what had happened.

While ghosts may be compulsive and thoughtless sometimes, they recognized threats to their safety when they saw them. Almost all of them knew that the humans were on edge and that keeping a low profile was the best plan. As such, all of the ghosts were either staying in the Ghost Zone or keeping themselves hidden in the human world.

This might be viewed as a good thing to Danny and Valerie but not for Dani. Life was boring without ghost attacks. Sure there were still fires, robberies, accidents, and natural disasters to deal with, but those rarely happened in Amity Park. What was the point of being a hero if there was nothing to do?

Danny had said, "To protect the people who can't protect themselves…even if they don't want or need it right now."

Valerie had said, "To give a symbol of hope to anyone who needs it."

Her dad had said, "…I'm not the person to ask…"

Spirit sighed. "I guess I'll just have to suck it up. Nothing I can do about it…"

Hovering invisibly over her school, Spirit glared down at the building. She really didn't want to go there today. She needed some excitement or she was going to pull her hair out!

"Ah!" A shout caught her attention. "My car!"

Looking over to the commotion, Spirit instantly burst out laughing. Her least favorite teacher Mrs. Crabb was stressing over her car which was covered in graffiti. The white car was covered in black swirls and in words that said things like "school sucks!" While Spirit was a hero and should feel offended…she couldn't help but laugh. Mrs. Crabb definitely deserved it for being so mean.

"Who did this?!" Mrs. Crabb glared around the crowd that formed around her. All of the students cowered while the teachers and staff tried to calm her down.

"Jena…" Dani's principal Mr. Moots tried to calm the teacher down.

"Don't Jena me!" Mrs. Crabb screeched. "Which hooligan did this?!"

There were murmurs across the crowd. No one seemed to know.

"I don't know how any of the students could have done this, Jena." Mr. Moots examined the car. "I was out here five minutes ago and everything was fine…and I don't know what this graffiti is made of…" He rubbed the graffiti. "It obviously isn't paint. It couldn't be this dry after only five minutes…"

"Then who did it?" Mrs. Crabb grumbled.

"That I do not know." Mr. Moots shrugged.

Spirit would have continued listening to her teachers, but suddenly her ghost sense went off. The half-ghost thought, 'Well, that explains who did this…'

Looking around, Spirit saw a flash of black coming from the other side of the school. Rocketing over the roof, Spirit smiled. Now this was what she was talking about! Finally a ghost to fight!

Spirit heard giggling from the front of the school. Deciding to grab the ghost's attention, Spirit shouted. "Hey!"

The unknown ghost stopped what she was doing and turned toward Spirit with a smile, "Hey, how's it going!?"

"Um…okay?" Spirit shrugged.

"Good!" The ghost then turned back to what she was doing. The girl ghost looked like she was about the same age as Spirit. She had blue skin; short, spiky purple hair; and purple eyes. Her upper body, torso, arms, and hands included, was covered in gold and silver armor which reminded Spirit of a medieval knight. The girl was also wearing a dark black pants that had several rips and tears around the knee and ankle parts. Finally, the girl's feet was covered by sandals.

"What are you doing?" Spirit questioned.

"Making this boring school pretty." The girl smiled. Her gauntlet covered hands were surrounded by black shadow energy. She then pointed her hands at the school building. The energy blasted from her hand and began to make drawings on the building. Like with Mrs. Crabb's car, there were a lot of black swirls and simple phrases.

"Why are you doing this?" Spirit asked.

"I was bored." The girl stated simply.

Spirit could understand that.

"Wait…" The girl turned to her and grinned. "You're Spirit!…except your clothes are different than the pictures I've seen."

Spirit looked down at her new attire. After what had happened with Nocturne, Spirit decided that she could use a change of pace. This time she changed a lot more than before. Spirit had abandoned her bandana allowing her hair to be free, but her scarf was still in place.

The halfa girl now had a loose white skirt reaching down to her mid thigh. Underneath the skirt was black spandex pants. The pants went all the way down to Spirit's knee

The girl was now wearing a black and white bomber jacket with a black shirt underneath it. The right arm of the jacket was sleeveless allowing the alternating white and black rapping tape to be shown going from her shoulder all the way down to her gloved hand. Unlike before, Spirit no longer had the "Spirit" symbol on her clothing. Instead, she went back to the infamous DP on the left side of the jacket.

This change was brought about because of Spirit's near defeat. Originally, her look was to help hide her similar looks to Phantom, and at the same time signify that while there were similarities she was not under him and that she was her own person.

After that whole ordeal though…she would gladly wear the DP. She would show that she was proud to be Phantom's partner and would gladly state that she was under his protection. Not to say that she couldn't take care of herself, but…she was a member of Team Phantom and she was proud of it.

Even if he was not exactly stable right now…

"Is it a crime to change my look?" Spirit asked.

"No," The girl shrugged. "But it's rare for you people to change your looks. It's notable."

"You people?" Spirit didn't understand what she was talking about.

"Heroes. Goody goodies. People who put themselves in harms way for stupid people who don't have the guts to stand up for themselves." The girl explained.

"What's wrong with that?" Spirit was offended.

"Nothing I guess…" The girl turned around again and began her work again. "If you like that sort of thing…"

"And you don't…Umm." Spirit realized that she didn't know the girl's name.

"You, Girl Scout, can call me Nyx." The now identified Nyx stated proudly.

"Girl Scout?" Spirit was a little offended.

"Yeah, you wear a uniform and help old ladies cross the street. So, you're a Girl Scout." Nyx explained as if she was talking to toddler.

Spirit huffed. "I am not a girl scout."

"Then prove it." Nyx challenged. "Help me finish my art."

"But…" Spirit looked at her school. She didn't like this place, but she couldn't just defile public property. "This is wrong…"

"Says who?" Nyx questioned. "That mean woman deserved what she got and this school is sooooo bland! I'm just making the world more beautiful."

"You're the one that did that to Mrs. Crabb's car?" Spirit tried to appear mad, but couldn't hide her smile. "That's…"

"Funny?" Nyx suggested with a smirk.

"…Yes…" Spirit admitted.

"Exactly!" Nyx cheered. "It's funny! So help me finish my art!"

Spirit mentally struggled on what to do. On one hand, she knew that Danny would never approve of her using her powers like this. On the other hand, though, she really wanted to do this. It would feel greet to finally get some payback at the boring school.

Glaring at the school, Spirit made her decision. She lifted her glowing green and finished the swirls that Nyx halfway finished. The two girls quickly covered the front of the school in shadow and ectoplasmic drawings. After they finished, both girls laughed and admired their work.

Nyx grinned. "Kukukukuku! It's beautiful!"

"Hahahhahahhahaha! Yeah it is!" Spirit beamed.

"Then why stop here!" Nyx smirked mischievously. "Come on, let's make this whole town pretty."

"Wha?" Spirit was surprised by this. Messing with a school was one thing, but doing it to the whole town? "But…I, uh, have to go to school…"

"Psh!" Nyx rolled her eyes. "Just skip! It's not like it will hurt anyone."

"But Danny will be mad at me…not to mention my dad…" Spirit mumbled.

Nyx made a fart noise. "Who cares what they think? They sound boring."

"They can punish me though." Spirit pointed out. "If they find out that I skipped school…"

Nyx groaned. "Do you see this." The blue ghost pointed to the school. "This art will keep them distracted alllllllllllllllllllllllllll day. They won't notice you're gone."

"I-uh…." Spirit glanced back at the school.

"Ugn! Whatever, Girl Scout!" Nyx turned and began to fly off. "Do what you want. I, however, am going to have fun!"

Spirit looked back and forth between the school and Nyx. Skipping school wasn't right, but Nyx was right. They'll probably just send the students home anyway. On the other hand, she didn't want to disappoint Danny, but…She wasn't a girl scout!

"Hey, Nyx! Wait up!"

* * *

><p>Phantom felt powerful arms grab his. From the cry, he instantly knew who was behind him. The master of time was here to intervene.<p>

In his fury, Danny shouted, "You save him, but not my family!"

"I'm not saving anyone." Clockwork stated. "I'm here to give you a choice."

"I made my choice already!" Phantom screamed. "He deserves to die!"

"He does," Clockwork nodded. "He has perverted the purity and innocence of dreams. He tried to conquer the world. He had wronged everyone…you especially. But you don't have to cross this line."

"Why shouldn't I!?" Phantom felt tears run down his face. "My life is a curse! Everyday is torture! Now, it will get even worse then before! Now seems like the best time possible to cross that time."

"Remember your promise!" Clockwork yelled. "You promised your family that you would never become that monster! You promised your little sister to be there for her! You promised to not let this break you!"

Danny stopped struggling.

"I'm sorry, Daniel. You must think that I'm hypocritical." Clockwork apologized. "Despite what they think, I don't answer to the Observants. I answer to a higher power. We…the world… needs you to be strong. It needs you to be a hero. So, please, don't do this."

Phantom was silent for a moment as he thought this over. Looking down at the frozen face of Nocturne, Phantom was suddenly hit a wave of terrible anger. This piece of trash deserved to die!

"Rawwwwwww!" Phantom brought his blade down as hard as he could. The blade sunk into Nocturne's head and green blood splashed onto Phantom's-

Danny woke up from his nightmare by jumping nearly a foot in the air. "Ah!"

Sweat pored down Danny's body. He was trembling uncontrollably. The dream had been so life like. Not to mention the fact that it was once close to becoming reality.

Danny groaned as he realized that he was in the lab. Rubbing his eyes, the halfa stated. "Must of dozed off…"

Looking down at his station, Danny saw the now completely completed Tucker Phone. He and Vlad had finished programming the software a few days ago and it was now ready to go. Danny had been testing it, but apparently passed out after a while.

"Better get to work on the main project…" Danny looked to the corner of the room which contained what he and Vlad had been working on as a long term project for months.

The Fenton Exoskeleton stood massively over all the computer that was connected to it. It was no surprise to Danny that Vlad had the Exoskeleton. It had to go somewhere after the battle with the Ghost King, of course. What did surprise him, was the new design changes that Vlad had planned out.

Vlad had essentially designed a way to fix the Exoskeleton's main problem. He and Danny created an ectoconverter to act as an endless power source. This was enough for a ghost to use, but there was another problem for humans. The suit would push the human body 100 times past its limit. To fix this, Vlad got bloodstream nanobots from Axion Labs to control the user's breathing and heart rate.

To tip it all off, the two halfa's had begun to add various other weaponry to the suit. Rocket launchers, machine guns, grenades, and various other guns were added to the suit or were going to be added. They had also began working on trying to get the suit to fly.

As it was now, it was the perfect battle suit. That was the problem, though. If any meta-human or ghost got control of the suit, then they might become almost invincible. Fixing this problem was simple. Only someone that was human and didn't have the meta-gene could control the suit. Thus the only way for a halfa to use the Exoskeleton was to be in human form and to not use any of his powers.

The reason for this was simple. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. If someone already incredibly powerful was suddenly made 100 times stronger…the mental stress might not be able to keep up. When Danny used the suit and became powerful enough to rival the Ghost King, he had a purpose and was kept under control. If he was like Dark Dan, though…All that would result is destruction.

Danny rolled up his sleeves. The Exoskeleton needed more work. He needed a distraction from the dream. It was a perfect combination.

"Time to go to work…" Danny mumbled.

* * *

><p>"Time to go to work!" Nyx cheered as she peeked around the corner to see the nearby office building.<p>

"Work?" Spirit questioned. "I thought it was art?"

"Sure! It's all those things work, art, fun, destruction…" Nyx explained.

"Wait…" Spirit thought she heard wrong. "What was that last one?"

"Fun." Nyx stated.

"Oh," Spirit wasn't entirely convinced. "Okay."

"Alright," Nyx whispered even though she could yell and no one besides Spirit would hear her right now. "You remember the plan?"

"You never told me a plan." Spirit raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, right…I forgot." Nyx nodded to herself.

Spirit face palmed.

"Okay, then here's the plan…" Nyx focused shadow energy around her and fired the ball on the ground. The ball hit the ground and changed shape into a black cat with red eyes. "I'll make a bunch of my babies to cause a distraction. Then, we'll go in and redecorated the boring building."

"What?" Spirit shifted uncomfortably. "We're going to do it inside?"

"Well duh," Nyx rolled her eyes. "They won't be able to see it while they work if we do it outside! What? You having second thoughts, Girl Scout?"

"No, but I-" Spirit was cut off.

"Great!" Nyx made a few more of her shadow cats. "You go up to the roof. When I give the signal, you move."

"What's the signal?" Spirit had to ask.

"Oh…" Nyx gained a wide devilish grin. "You'll know it when you see it."

Spirit didn't like the sound of that but nevertheless flew up to the roof. As she went, the halfa girl couldn't help but think that this wasn't such a good idea. These people were just trying to work. Was it really alright to do this just for fun?

She thought about this for a minute, but that was all the time she got. Suddenly, a ball of black energy rammed into the side of the building. The wall was partially destroyed and coved in the shadowy substance.

Spirit stared at the building for a moment then said. "Guess that's the signal…"

The halfa girl fazed into the building and looked around. The humans inside were scrabbling toward the stairs and elevators. They all seemed absolutely terrified.

Spirit stopped and watched for a minute. This didn't seem fun anymore. They were scaring people and destroying buildings. It all seemed wrong.

"Kukukuku!" Suddenly, Nyx fazed through the floor. She blasted all the walls with her shadow energy. "This is fun isn't it?!"

"…" Spirit remained silent.

"What's wrong with you?" Nyx questioned. "You haven't done anything yet."

"This seems wrong." Spirit gestured around the room. "We're terrifying people and destroying stuff. Not that I don't like occasionally braking stuff, but all this…it's too much."

"What?" Nyx seemed confused. "It's not like we're hurting people or anything."

"Not physically, no, but…" Spirit trailed off.

"Psh! You sound like my mother!" Nyx whined. "Come on, Girl Scout! You're supposed to be fun!"

"I am fun!" Spirit growled.

"I don't believe it…" Nyx whipped her head side to side in denial.

"Fine!" Spirit's right foot was encased in green light. She kicked at the wall and sent an arc of green energy toward the wall. The halfa girl then sent two blasts right above the downward scorch, thus making a frowning face. "Does that satisfy you?"

"No!" Nyx grinned and spread her arms out. "There's still a whole building to redecorated."

Spirit grimaced. This wasn't going to end well.

* * *

><p>"<em>Please, Danny, you need to listen to me."<em> Harriet Chin's voice sounded through Danny's Fenton Phones.

"I am listening, Harriet." Danny mumbled as he worked on the right arm of the Fenton Exoskeleton. "But all I'm hearing is a bunch of bull crap."

"_It might sound that way from your perspective." _Harriet calmly explained. _"But for the rest of the world, it's common sense."_

"So, common sense is to start giving humanity a new way to kill each other." Danny rolled his eyes.

"_No, it's to protect humanity from the ghosts." _Harriet clarified.

"You keep thinking that." Danny sighed as he began to install a retractable blade on top of the suit's gauntlet. "I know what will happen if I start selling weapons, and I can tell you this…It won't be peace."

"_So we should all live in fear of world threatening ghost attacks?" _Harriet questioned.

"A year ago, humans mocked my parents for even believing in ghosts." Danny stated. "Now there scared silly by them."

"_Danny, a ghost almost conquered the world." _Harriet reasoned. _"They have the right to be scared."_

"The key world is almost." Danny firmly pointed out. "Phantom and the Justice League handled it."

"_Barely," _Harriet mumbled. _"They barely won from what I heard. Plus only Batman and Red Tornado were actually there. The rest of the Leauge was just as defenseless as the rest of us."_

"Good," Danny examined the newly installed blade. "They should learn that their not actually gods walking among us. They can bleed and die just like the rest of us."

"_I thought you supported the League_." Harriet sounded surprised.

Danny sighed again, "I do. I've just noticed how…arrogant they look sometimes. Not all of them, mind you, but I can see it in some of them. They think that they're better than us regular mortal."

"_What makes you think that?" _Harriet asked.

"I recognize their body language…" Danny shook his head even though no one could see him. "I saw it all the time when I went to school. It may just be a little bit of overconfidence, but they hold themselves as though they are untouchable, and trust me on this no one is untouchable."

"_Which is exactly why the rest of the world needs your weapons."_ Harriet reasoned. _"The Justice League is not invincible. We need to be able to protect ourselves."_

"My answer is still no." Danny didn't budge.

"_Danny…" _Harriet sighed. _"Why are you selling all the Fenton merchandise, then? The Fenton Phones, Fenton batteries, and something about a new cellphone that's coming out in a few months…Is this really what you want to do? Make appliances? Does that uphold your parent's lega-"_

"Don't you talk about my parents!" Danny snapped. "They worked hard for years and were never acknowledged for it. Don't sully their names by using them in this conversation."

"…_I'm sorry…" _Harriet gasped out in horror. Offending him was obviously not her intention.

"I know, look…" Danny began. "I know that the world will get ecto weapons eventually. I'm not stupid enough to believe that they won't. Some person will figure it out eventually…probably soon too, but until then, Fenton Works does sell those appliances and nothing else."

"…_Okay…" _Harriet was obviously disappointed.

Danny stopped his work and sighed once again. He looked over his Exoskeleton and all the work he and Vlad had done. "If it makes you feel better…I'll send you a gun, but only if you promise not to tell, show, or sell it to anyone. Alright?"

"_Thanks…that would make me feel better_." Harriet gratefully said.

"Glad to hear. Now you know my statement on this stuff. The story's yours. Your editor will be happy." Danny smiled a little.

"_Well, here's the thing. Because of all your interviews, I've gotten a job offer somewhere else. The pay and benefits are really good. So, I'm packing up and moving_." Harriet explained happily.

"That's nice." Danny went back to work. "Where is this new job."

"_New York City! Apparently, I'm going to be working with some guy named G. Gordon Godfrey_."

* * *

><p>"This will be the best prank, yet!" Nyx exclaimed as she looked down at the traffic below them.<p>

All day, the two ghost girls had been causing chaos around towns. They had destroyed a lot of property. A lot of conflicts were started by overshadowing a few people. Plus there were a few incidents where walls were turned invisible.

Spirit felt terrible about all of it.

This was not what she wanted to do with her powers. She did like to get into fights, pull harmless pranks, and occasionally breaking stuff. All of this was crossing the line, though.

These people were innocent and didn't deserve to be treated like this. Spirit tried to bring this up several times throughout the day, but was cut off by Nyx every time. Nyx swore that it was all fine as long as nobody got hurt. Spirit believed her at first, but it was slowly fading with each prank.

"What are we doing?" Spirit asked nervously.

"Look at them," Nyx gestured to the slowly moving vehicles. "They're all moving so slowly. They might as well not be moving at all."

"I don't like where this is going…" Spirit mumbled.

"What was that, Girl Scout?" Nyx asked.

"Nothing." Spirit quickly got out.

"Uh huh…" Nyx turned back to the vehicles. "So, we'll go in invisibly, mess with the engines, and watch as the humans freak out."

Spirit frowned. "What is the point of this, anyway?"

"The point?" Nyx raised an eyebrow. "I thought we covered this? It's 'funny'."

"It's not so funny for them…" Spirit pointed out.

"So? They'll get over it." Nyx shrugged. "What matters is that we're entertained."

"But we're making them miserable." Spirit looked down to the cars below.

"Miserable?" Nyx shook her head. "This is nothing. A little property damage, a good fright, and some mild anger will not kill them. Trust me, I'm not going to even hurt them."

"…" Spirit mulled it over. "It's still wrong."

"What?" Nyx tilted her head to the side. "You've been doing stuff like this with me all day."

"I did, and I feel terrible about it." Spirit frowned. "I know better than to use my powers like this. I'm no saint, but I've been taught better than this. I should have never even done that to the school."

"But you did." Nyx pointed out.

"I know, and I'm willing to accept the consequences for it." Spirit agreed.

"You're not going to blame me?" Nyx seemed surprised.

"No." Spirit shook her head. She remember the various conversations she had with Danny. "I'm responsible for my own actions. You may have been pressuring me, but I was the one who did what I did."

"Hmmmm…." Nyx's eyebrows dipped in thought. "How noble of you."

"Maybe…" Spirit didn't feel noble. She still felt bad. "I just can't do this anymore."

"You mean won't." Nyx sighed. "Fine then, Girl Scout. You're out. I get that."

"Thanks," Spirit smiled.

"So, now you can run off, Girl Scout." Nyx turned toward the cars. "I'm starting to get bored, and I hate boredom. I'm going to go cause a little chaos and have some fun."

"You're still going to mess with the cars?" Spirit was surprised.

"Uh, yeah." Nyx stated as if it was obvious. "I don't need your help. I just wanted some company, but if you don't want to have fun, I can't force you. Go and do your girl scout things. I'll be here."

Spirit began to turn away. Halfway, though, she stopped. She had already had several regrets from today. Leaving and not interfering would just add another.

"I can't leave just yet." Spirit looked at the shadow ghost.

"Oh?" Nyx turned back around. "Why's that?"

"I can't let you do this." Spirit stated. "I have to stop you."

"Ah?"

* * *

><p>Jap. Jap. Cross punch. Upper cut. Hook. Hook. Hook. Danny continued to strike the punching bag. He felt pain in his knuckles. They were rubbed raw and bleeding a little. That didn't matter to him.<p>

"Hah…" Blue smoke burst out of Danny's mouth. That was weird. No ghost would attack him at the mansion. Plus he was used to Klemper and Cujo's presense. That only left…

"pant…huff… Ember.. pant…How's it going," Danny turned toward the siren ghost.

"Pretty good, Baby Pop." Ember was leaning up against the far wall. "It's been a while."

"That it has…" Danny wiped the sweat from his brow.

"Woah! Your knuckles." Ember got a glimpse of his hands.

"Yeah," Danny looked down at his bleeding hands. Green energy began to cover his hands. Soon, the wounds slowly began to heal.

"Wow, that's a neat trick." Ember observed as Danny's wound healed.

"Yeah, it's a new one," Danny walked over to a nearby cooler. "You want a drink?"

"It's about time you asked." Ember smirked.

"It's only been a few seconds since you got here. When I was supposed to get you a drink." Danny inquired.

"Having one ready as soon I got here would be nice." Ember suggested.

"I suppose," Danny shrugged as he threw her a water. "I might have been able to do it if you told me you were coming. You haven't been by in a while."

"Meh." Ember took a large chug of the water. "I knew you needed some distance."

"Oh?" Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah," Ember nodded, "You needed some time to cool off after the fight with Nocturne."

Danny was silent.

"I know how ghosts work. We don't let things go well." Ember snorted. "I bet those human girls you hang out with wouldn't leave you alone."

Danny nodded. He appreciated Valerie's and Jennifer's company, but they didn't understand. Jennifer out of ignorance. Valerie out of…her being Valerie. Even Dani was a little annoying at this point.

"You've had some time to let out some steam, so…" Ember slid down the wall and sat down. She patted the space right next to her. "Let's talk."

Danny sighed, but nevertheless with cooler in hand he walked over to Ember. Sitting down, the halfa said, "For the record, I don't want to do this but I know you won't let this go... Alright, but do you mind if I eat while we talk?"

"Only if you give me some of the food." Ember gave him a "give me" gesture.

"Fair enough," Danny handed her an apple. "Alright so…"

"I heard about the dream." Ember got right to the point.

"Blunt much?" Danny mumbled.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Ember gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Did you want to make pointless small talk first?"

"Don't patronize me." Danny glared.

Ember chuckled. Taking a bite out of her apple, Ember said, "Well?"

Danny sighed again, "Who told you anyway?"

"Plasmius," One word was enough.

"Of course," Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "The dream…it was a perfect world for me. Everything was great. My family and friends were alive. Vlad and Dani had a woman to complete their family. And Sam was…Ugn…"

"Ah…" Ember simply nodded.

"Yeah, sorry," Danny looked down.

"Don't appologize." Ember lightly smacked him upside his head. "It was a dream and we're not…"

Danny decided to let that go. "I had to kill it. That perfect world had to die to save this one…"

"I can't imagine…" Ember admitted. "I doubt I could that."

"It was hard." Danny's face saddened. "It hurt so badly, but I did it."

"Why'd you do it?" Ember asked.

"I heard Dani yelling for help. I couldn't leave her for my own selfish reasons." Danny explained.

"There's that hero thing again…" Ember closed her eyes.

"I know it annoys you, but-" Danny was cut off.

"No." Ember stated. "I've actually grown fond of it."

"Really?" Danny raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, its real and sincere." Ember let out a deep breath. "I like that you stay true to what you say."

"Its not easy." Danny admitted. "There's many times that I want to give up. Now more than ever."

"The best things in this world are difficult. You staying a hero…and… other things." Ember trailed off.

Danny instantly knew what she was talking about.

"Did I ever tell you how I died?" Ember asked.

Danny eyed the siren ghost, "No…"

"Probably, I've never told anyone before." Ember mumbled.

"You don't have to tell me." Danny told her.

"I know, I want to." Ember looked at the ceiling. "When I was alive…I wasn't all that popular."

"I know the feeling." Danny admitted.

"Yeah, it sucks." Ember sighed. "All I really had were my dreams of becoming a rock star. But one day this guy-a really cute guy too. He had these-"

"Please, I don't need to hear that." Danny groaned.

Ember chuckled evilly and grinned. "Yeah," Her grin fell. "Anyway, he asked me to go to the movies with him. I was so excited that I was probably jumping for joy. The night of the date, I spent hours getting ready and made sure to get to the movies early.

"I was there a half hour early. I was so ecstatic that first half hour. The next hour I was still on cloud nine. The hour after that was worse. And it only got worse from there. Damn…I was so naïve. I kept saying, 'He's just running late.' I waited there all night like an idiot." Ember sighed.

"I would have done the same." Danny comforted. "Well…you know if it was a girl who asked me out. I'd probably not be as excited if a guy asked me. Flattered, maybe, but not excited."

"Nice save," Ember gained a dismal look. "When morning came, I dragged myself home. I was so tired, I passed out as soon as I got home. Next thing I know…I'm a ghost."

"What happened?" Danny questioned.

"There was a fire." Ember explained. "I was so tired that I slept through it…I didn't make it."

"I'm sorry," Danny consulted her.

"I was so mad." Ember frowned. "I blamed the guy. I blamed myself. I blamed everyone and everything. I thought about going out and killing the guy, but…I couldn't. It took me a while for me to cool down…like you. Afterward, I discovered my obsession. To be the greatest rock star to ever live.

"I tried, but I took it too far." Ember shrugged. "Tried to rule the world. Got the attention of some wanna be hero. Was defeated…twice. Ruined my chances of finishing my obsession."

"I-I had t-to st-top you." Danny stuttered nervously.

"I don't blame you for stopping me." Ember placed her head on her knees. "I was my fault…but what happened to you wasn't your fault. It was Nocturne. Don't blame anyone else for it. Not you. Not Dani. Not anyone. Okay?"

"Okay…" Danny smiled. "I'm still gonna be angry for a while, though."

Ember snorted, "Of course! It'd be weirded out if you weren't."

They sat there in silence for a moment. Both teens were comfortable in their thoughts. After a few minutes, Danny broke that silence. "You know…I might be able to help with the rock star thing."

Ember raised an eyebrow. "You? You don't really have a sense for music."

"What!? I do to!" Danny was insulted.

"Psh! No way. All your music is so dark and depressing." Ember rolled her eyes.

"It is not!" Danny shouted.

"It makes want to run into a dark room and cut myself." Ember deadpanned. "I wonder who got you into that crap…"

Danny just grumbled under his breath and sulked.

"But I suppose that I should listen to your suggestion." Ember mumbled. "I've got nothing to loss."

"I appreciate your faith in me…." Danny sulked. "Anyway, I'm sure that Vlad could pull something off and get you back in the game if I asked for some help."

"You'd do that?" Ember eyes softened.

"As long as you don't try to take over the world again." Danny deadpanned.

"I won't!" Ember rocketed to her feet.

"Alright," Danny stood also. "It won't be that hard to convince him. With your talent and voice, you'll be a great success and earn him a lot of money."

"You really believe that I'd be a success?" Ember felt touched emotionally.

"Yeah," Danny nodded. "Even without your powers you have a great voice. Plus your guitar playing is top notch. I always did like your songs…except for that crappy easy listening."

Ember groaned, "I know. But it was the only way to get those adults to listen. They have no taste."

"And as long as you don't do that, I'm sure you'll be a success." Danny encouraged. "You can even use your powers if you want. Just don't go too overboard and make everyone obsessive over you."

Ember pouted. "You take the fun out of it…"

"That's the whole hero thing working in…" Danny turned back and began to walk to the punching bag.

Before he got too far, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He was slowly turned At first, he thought that Ember was going to pull him into a passionate kiss. Imagine his surprise when all Ember did was lean in and kissed him on the cheek.

"You're something, you know." Ember remarked. "I came her to give you some support and in the end, you're the one comforting me…Thanks."

"You're welcome." Danny smiled gently.

"Hey," Ember smirked evily. "I heard that Plasmius is out of town. Your sister isn't home yet, and Klemper's still in the Ghost Zone. That means this place is empty…"

"It is…" Danny gave her a knowing look.

"A lot of guys might want to take advantage of this situation…" Ember suggested.

"A lot of guys would…But we talked about this…" Danny reminded her. "Especially now…I think it's worse now…"

"Alright." Ember took a step back. "But I'm still using this opportunity to teach you a thing or two about music."

"Oh, will you?" Danny was amused.

"Yeah, let's start by going over what we call the oldies…" Ember was about to continue but was interrupted.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

"Of course…" Ember sighed.

"Sorry," Danny apologized as he walked over to his phone. "Hello?"

"_Danny, there's a problem."_ Valerie's voice sounded urgent.

"When isn't there a problem?" Danny rubbed his eyes in annoyance.

"_There have been weird disturbances all day. I thought that I could handle it, but now…it involves Dani." _Valerie explained.

"What is it?" Danny gained a serious look.

"_She and some girl ghost are floating above the city. Danielle looks like she doesn't need any help right now, but…" _Valerie paused._ "I thought that you would want to know."_

"Thanks, Val." Danny acknowledged. "I'll handle it. You can go home and relax. I know that I put a lot of the patrol duty on you lately…"

"_Thanks, Danny. I'll talk to you later."_ Valerie then hung up.

Danny turned to Ember, "Yeah, soooo…."

Ember sighed, "Go."

"Thanks, I'm going ghost." Danny turned into his ghost form

"Don't thank me," Ember smirked. "I'm still gonna be here when you get back. Can't let you get away from my lessons that easily."

* * *

><p>"You can't let me?" Nyx raised an eyebrow.<p>

"No, I can't." Spirit nodded.

"And what will you do to stop me?" Nyx inquired.

"…For once, I don't want to fight." Spirit admitted. "I think that you're a good person. You're just a little selfish."

"Like you're one to talk." Nyx commented. "You've been pretty selfish today."

"…Please leave." Spirit asked nicely. "Go back to the Ghost Zone."

"Ah, naw!" Nyx shook her head. "I'm still bored and if I go back home, my mom will be mad. I need to delay that as much as possible."

"…Then I guess there's only one way to stop you…" Spirit concluded.

"Oh!" Nyx gained an excited look. "You mean you want to fight! That's even better than pranks!"

Shadow like energy began to dance around the girl. She took a defensive stance. Then a good portion of the energy transferred to Nyx's hands.

Despite herself, Spirit felt her blood boil. "Okay, then. We fight. If you win I'll leave you alone. When I win you go back to the Ghost Zone."

Nyx snorted. "No, when I win, you'll have to go to the hospital. Then I'll go and have some more fun!"

"In your dreams!" Spirit rocketed toward the shadow girl and fired a ectoplasmic covered fist. The punch was blocked with a shield of shadow. Before Spirit could react, Nyx forced the shield to explode outward sending the hero girl back.

Spirit quickly corrected herself, but was too late. Nyx had created two shadow cats to attack Spirit. The cats latched themselves onto the halfa and began to scratch her. Through the pain and annoyance, Spirit gathered energy around her and sent it all out in a burst. The shadow cats were instantly destroyed.

Spirit looked up just in time to see Nyx sending a shadow covered fist at her face. Spirit diverted the attack to the side and send a ectoplasmic powered roundhouse kick to Nyx's midsection. Nyx blocked the attack, but the force of the ectoplasmic blast caused her to be sent flying to the side.

Spirit then sent a barrage of ectoplasmic blasts to the shadow ghost. Each one made contact and exploded. After several blasts, Spirit stopped and admired her work. There was only one problem.

Nyx was no where to be seen.

Suddenly, Spirit felt arms wrap around her neck. Nyx was behind her and began to choke her. The halfa struggled against the shadow ghost, but couldn't free herself. Luckily, the choke had no effect. Spirit didn't need to breath as a ghost.

"Do you really think that you could beat me?" Nyx questioned. "I've been training all my life. You've only been training for a few months from what I heard. There's no way for you to win."

"Guh…You…may have more training…but I have…real battle…experience!" Spirit let go of Nyx's arm with her right hand. The halfa girl reached her hand around right in front of Nyx's head. A blast of ectoplasm rammed into Nyx's face and caused the shadow ghost to let go.

As soon as she was free, Spirit gathered as much energy as possible to her left foot. Spinning around, Spirit sent a powerful side thrust to Nyx's midsection. The shadow ghost was sent soaring back.

Spirit took a minute to gather herself. She had to admit that this was the hardest one on one fight she had ever fought. Winning wasn't going to be easy.

"Urg…" Nyx groaned as she clutched her stomach. "Okay…I'll admit it. That was a good move."

"Thanks…" Spirit acknowledged. "You're not a total wimp."

"Kukukuku," Nyx giggled. "Alright, then. Let's try this again."

"Yes," Spirit agreed. "Let's."

* * *

><p>"There you are…" Phantom spied the two girls a few blocks. It took merely a few minutes of searching for Phantom to find the duo. Their fight wasn't exactly subtle.<p>

Watching Spirit get out of the rear naked choke, Phantom debated on whether or not to intervene. Spirit seemed to be holding her own. He would just wait and see where things went. If she won, then he would let it be. If she lost…he would make sure she didn't get any permanent damage.

"Kukukukuku!" Phantom heard a familiar laugh from behind him on a nearby roof. "Hey, Phantom! You came to watch the show too!"

Phantom turned and saw Klarion the Witch Boy. The halfa remembered his mentor's warnings about the Witch Boy. Vlad explained how Klarion was a lord of chaos and how he used magic to fight. Magic could harm ghosts exactly the same as everyone else, so he would have to be careful.

"What are you doing here, Klarion? It's been quiet here. No chaos." Phantom eyed the being before him.

"Or there is plenty of chaos." Klarion smirked as he petted his cat. "It's just contained right now."

"You mean their fight?" Phantom gestured to the two fighting girls.

"Something like that…" Klarion chuckled.

"Hmm…" Phantom didn't take his eyes off the lord of chaos. "There is potential in them, yes, but…"

Phantom looked over at the fight with his peripheral vision. The fight seemed pretty even, now, but it could easily turn one way or another. He needed to be ready in case things went south.

"You're not thinking of interfering, are you Phantom?" Klarion questioned. "That would be naughty."

"And if I am?" Phantom was somewhat taken back by use of "naughty."

"Well, then," Klarion placed his cat down. "I might just have to stop you, kukukukuku…"

"There's no reason for us to fight." Phantom stated.

"Oh! There are plenty of reasons!" Klarion grinned. "Most of them involve blood and breaking stuff!"

"Not good enough…" Phantom sighed and turned away to watch the girls fight.

"And here I thought you were tough…" Klarion sighed dramatically. "I guess what happened with Nocturne messed with your game."

Phantom froze.

"I mean, everyone knows that you were captured. Batman told the world almost everything." Klarion grinned evilly. "They know that you escaped, but they don't know what you had to do to escape."

Klarion began to pace back and forth. "What dream did that old snooze fest force on you?"

Phantom twitched.

"Were you king of the world?"

Phantom shook.

"Were you the master of a beautiful harem?"

Phantom trembled.

"Were you **alive**? Kukukukukukukukukuku! How pathetic!" Klarion laughed at the trembling ghost. "Are you gonna cry?"

Phantom turned. He was still shaking, but it obviously not out of sorrow. His eyes showed the deep rage he had been feeling for days. "Okay…you wanted a fight…"

Energy flared around Phantom as he snarled, "I'll give you an ass kicking!"

* * *

><p>"I'll give you a but kicking!" Spirit kicked an arc of green energy at the shadow ghost.<p>

Nyx ducked under the arc and threw a couple of shadow balls toward the halfa girl. Each shadow ball was intercepted by a couple of Spirit's ecto blasts. The explosions from the collisions caused smoke to spread across the sky.

Despite not being able to see, both girls flew toward each other with fists at the ready. In the smoke, both girls landed several blows on her opponent. The smoke finally dispatched when the girls caused another explosion by using their energy in their struggle.

Both girls glared at the other. They were both covered in scratches and bruises. Neither faltered, though. They wouldn't back down.

"This is fun!" Nyx cheered.

"I agree with you there…" Spirit admitted.

"You were right, I really don't have a lot of real battle experience. But I have had a lot of spars. They were the funest part of life, but my mom always had them controlled. But this…is real battle." Nyx smiled.

"It's great." Spirit nodded.

"That it is…Break over!" Nyx launched herself at Spirit.

Spirit responded by forming a spherical shield around herself. Nyx hailed away at the shield with multiple blows. Slowly, cracks began to form in the sphere. Deciding that defense wouldn't work, Spirit canceled her energy to her shield and lunged backward.

After the shield shattered, Nyx sent several blasts of energy at the halfa. Spirit gracefully dodged each blow, but was surprised when the blasts formed into three shadow cats. The cats lunged at Spirit's back, but were all destroyed by Spirit's fists.

Using this opening, Nyx formed large shadow hands. Holding them above her head, Nyx spread the arms wide. The shadow hands spread out. Swinging her arms toward the halfa girl, Nyx sent the shadow hands toward Spirit.

"Gah!" The hands grabbed Spirit. They covered her from her ankles to her neck. Slowly, the shadow hands began to squeeze Spirit trying to crush her.

* * *

><p>"Gah!" Klarion's magically created hands grabbed Phantom. They covered him from his ankles to his neck. Slowly, the magic hands began to squeeze Phantom trying to crush him.<p>

"What was that about you kicking my ass?" Klarion mocked.

"Don't get cocky!" Phantom covered himself in blue energy and caused the hands to freeze. Struggling against the ice hand, Phantom shattered his constraints. "I'm done with my warm up, so it's time to cool down."

Phantom sent several ice blasts at Klarion. The Witch Boy responded by sending several red magic balls to intercept the freezing ectoplasm. In an instant, the attacks canceled each other out.

Phantom then tried to close the gab between him and his opponent. Forming an ice broad sword, Phantom slashed down at Klarion with an arc of blue energy. Klarion was instantly frozen.

Phantom stopped and stared, "Well…that was easy."

Boom!

Red magical energy burst out from Klarion's frozen body. The force of the explosion caused Phantom to fly off the roof. When he landed on the street below, Phantom instantly got up and prepared himself for the next attack. Unfortunately, he was not prepared for what happened next.

A column of red magical energy appeared at the halfa's feet. Desperatly, Phantom turned intangible. The column then rose upward and covered Phantom. The attack only lasted a moment, but that was enough. When the energy fade, Phantom was scorched and bruised.

"Kukukukuku!" In a swirl of red, Klarion appeared in front of Phantom "Too bad, so sad!"

"Guh…" Phantom groaned and fell to one knee. "What was that? I turned intangible."

"Magic has that effect on ghosts." Klarion explained with a huge smirk. "It's one of the few things that render ghosts helpless."

"Ha…good to know…" Phantom looked over his injuries. "Dumbass magic…"

"Ha!" Klarion chuckled. "It's that magic which put you in this state!"

"Really?" Phantom smirked. "You sure?"

"Wha?" Klarion tilted his head to the side. "What are you-Gah!"

Suddenly, another Phantom fazed through the floor and punched Klarion in the jaw. The Witch Boy was sent barreling through the air. Phantom followed this up with several blasts of ecto energy.

Suddenly, the injured Phantom disappeared in a puff of green smoke. The real Phantom yelled, "Ever hear of duplicates?"

* * *

><p>"Ever been on a merry go round?' Spirit grabbed Nyx by her armor and twirled her around as fast as she could.<p>

Using all her strength, Spirit threw Nyx down onto a nearby roof. The shadow ghost crashed on the roof and left a large crater. Spirit too this moment to come up with a game plan.

She was running low on energy, but so was Nyx. It wouldn't be long before they were both fatigued. Spirit had to beat Nyx before that happened. The young heroine had no experience fighting without her powers.

"That was a good one!" Nyx dusted herself off.

"Thanks…" Spirit acknowledged.

"Alright…" Nyx stood and smirked. "This has been fun, but-"

Crack!

Both girls turned to see what that noise was. Nyx's impact had caused a poriton of the roof to crumble. A hung chunk of concrete fell of the side and fell. The worst part was that it was falling right above the cars stuck in traffic.

"No!" Spirit was about to go and stop the concrete, but she never got the chance.

Nyx had already caught the falling ruble. She had created another shadow hand and used it to stop the ruble. The shadow ghost then lifted the ruble onto the roof and let it go. Spirit could tell that doing that took a lot of Nyx she looked exhausted.

Slowly, Spirit floated down to the roof. "Why did you save them?"

"Idiot…" Nyx mumbled. "I told you, I don't them hurt or nothing. I was just having fun."

"I…" Spirit paused in shock.

Too bad though, that was the opening that Nyx needed.

"Sneak attack!" Nyx blasted Spirit with a wave of shadow energy.

"You jerk!" Spirit growled, "I was giving you time to rest!"

"I'm all rested up!" Nyx grinned as she sent multiple shadow balls at Spirit.

* * *

><p>"Raw!" Klarion sent red lightning at his opponent. The electricity struck Phantom on the chest and shocked him.<p>

Phantom groaned and clutched his wound. Great, now his clothes were turn again. He just got them fixed!

"I'm getting tired of this…" Phantom mumbled. It was weird. No matter what he did, Klarion remained uninjured. It was frustrating.

"Really?' Klarion chuckled. "I can do this all day!"

'But how?' Phantom wondered mentally. 'I've dealt almost as much damage as you have.'

Phantom did have to admit that Klarion was extremely powerful. More powerful than he was right now, but he had some weaknesses. He had no hand to hand combat experience, and he was overconfident.

Usually, Phantom could use that to his advantage, but…Klarion seemed to be immune to injury. Ice, ecto blasts, and basic strikes had no effect. It was frustrating.

'How do I beat him?' Phantom questioned mentally.

"Kukukukukuku!" Klarion laughed. "Are you done?"

"He may not be done!" An angry female voice called out, "But you are Witch Boy!"

Both Klarion and Phantom turned and saw fearsome sight. A woman who stood at the same height as Colossus had approached them. She had blue skin and was wearing a gold and black Greek dress. On her head was a Greek helmet which while it protected her head, it still showed her red eyes and long purple hair. There was so much hair that it stuck a foot above her helmet and down to her knees.

Another distinguishing feature was her arms. There were four of them. They each had two black bands on them. Two of them were crossed in front of her. One held a spear, and the last one was behind her back.

"Pandora!" Klarion hissed. "You're not going to ruin my fun again!"

"Your fun only leads to death and destruction, Klarion!" Pandora's voice boomed. "I will not permit you to go near Nyx!"

"She's just as much mine as she is yours!" Klarion's face twisted demonically. "I want her back!"

"Nay! You shall not corrupt her to evil, heathen!" Pandora slammed her spear down in emphasis. "Now leave!"

"No! You can't make me!" Klarion pouted.

"Really?" Pandora smirked. The hand behind her back came forward to reveal Klarion's cat.

"Teekl!" Klarion yelled in outrage. "You call me a fiend!? You're threatening an innocent kitty!"

"This demon is not innocent!" Pandora began to squeeze the cat. The cat howled in pain, but that was normal. The weird thing was that Klarion's form blurred for a moment.

"Leave Teekl alone!" Klarion cried.

"I shall release the demon as long as you agree to leave!" Pandora glared.

"Fine!" Klarion agreed. "You old hag!"

Pandora threw the cat toward Klarion. Klarion desperately caught the animal and cradled it. "Are you okay?"

"Meow!"

"Now, be gone!" Pandora bellowed.

"Whatever!" Klarion glared, "I was getting bored anyway!" Then with a blaze of red, Klarion and his cat were gone.

"Dumbass magic..." The halfa growled. He would have wondered what exactly happened, but he now had a new problem. The giant ghost in front of him was slowly walking toward him.

Phantom was about to go into a defensive stance, but was stopped by Pandora. In an instant, her face went from full of rage to kind and caring. Talk about mood swings.

"Are you alright, Phantom?" Pandora asked with a motherly voice.

"Uh…" Phantom said intelligently, "I don't know…"

* * *

><p>The fight had gone to a complete standstill. Both girls were sending attack after attack toward her opponent. Neither were gaining the advantage, but both were near exhaustion.<p>

"Ha!" Spirit blasted a ball of energy at Nyx. Nyx dodged to the side and let the energy ball fly past her. She then focused shadow energy into her hands.

Nyx slammed her hands on the ground. The shadow energy spread out and made a beeline toward Spirit. A shadow column bust up from under Spirit and knocked her into the air.

Nyx tried to follow this up by doing a knock out punch. As she grew close, though, Spirit twirled around and kicked Nyx on the side of her head. Nyx stumbled back as she tried to see past the stars buzzing in front of her eyes.

Luckily, her vision cleared enough for her to block the barrage of punches that Spirit sent toward Nyx. The two girls continued to try to punch each other's brains out for a few minutes. Finally, both girls decided to separate and gain some distance.

Glaring at the other girl, both Nyx and Spirit felt their exhaustion begin to catch up to them. Deciding to end this fight, both girls gathered as much energy as possible around them. In a blur, both girls rocketed toward the other. Each deciding to do a all or nothing move.

Just before the could make contact, though, a pair of hands grabbed each girl by their right ears. The girls instantly dismissed their energy attacks and winced in pain. They both looked up and say a tall blue skinned woman above them.

"Mom!" Nyx cried in fear.

"Mom?" Spirit question in shock. "OW! This is your mom?"

"Owowowowowow!" Nyx chanted in pain. "Yeah…Mom! Please, stop!"

"You deliberately disobeyed me!" Nyx's mom yelled. "You won't be going anywhere for a long time after this!"

"I'm sorry!" Nyx cried.

"You're only sorry that you got caught!" Nyx's mom shouted. "Not that you went against my wishes!"

"Is there a difference? OW!" Nyx yelped after a particularly hard pull on her ear.

"Why are doing this to me!?" Spirit cried. "I don't even know you!"

"Oh…" Nyx's mom realized what she was doing and let go of Spirit. "I'm deeply sorry, dear. It's a force of habit."

Spirit rubbed her ear. "It's, uh, okay…"

"Hey, Spirit," Phantom's voice called from behind her. "You okay?"

"Danny!" Spirit shouted in surprise. "What are you doing here…and what happened to you."

"I heard that you were in a fight. I came to help, but I, uh, was distracted." Phantom shrugged. "Luckily Pandora helped me. Thanks again, Pandora."

"Don't mention it." Pandora smiled gently. "Your opponent…can be a bit of a handful."

Phantom nodded. Looking over at Spirit, he smiled, "Are you alright to fly home? If not I could help."

"I think I'll be fine." Spirit stated. "But…um…there is something I need to tell you…"

Phantom blinked, "Okay, I'll see you at home."

As Spirit was leaving, she looked back at Nyx. The shadow ghost was still struggling against her mother. Their eyes met for a moment. In that instant, both girls glared daggers at the other.

They both knew that the fight had ended in a tie. Neither would complain, but they both weren't happy about it. Both would try to make sure next time was different. Deciding to be mature about it as possible, Spirit did the only thing she could.

She blew a raspberry at the shadow ghost.

* * *

><p>"Now listen here, young lady." Pandora addressed Nyx. "You have caused a lot of trouble today."<p>

"I was bored!" Nyx cried.

"That is no excuse!" Pandora's rage scared both Nyx and Phantom. "There is a lot that needs fixed." Pandora then whistled.

Responding to the call, a satyr and a minotaur flew from a nearby roof. They both bowed to Pandora. "Yes, Milady."

Pandora scooted Nyx toward the two creatures. "Take my daughter home. She is to stay in her room until I arrive. I still have business to attend to."

Both mythical creature ghosts nodded and did the task that was given to them. As they escorted Nyx, the shadow ghost looked over at Phantom. She yelled, "Tell the Girl Scout that our fight isn't over. Okay, Upstart!?"

"Upstart?" Phantom questioned.

"My daughter likes to give people nicknames. She must be talking about your recent fame in the Ghost Zone." Pandora clarified. "Your exploits have caused quite the stir. It is not often that such a young ghost could gain the attention of so many S-rank ghosts."

"Hmm…" Phantom nodded. "Are you one of said S-rank ghosts."

Pandora nodded. "I approve of your work. It is nice to see the younger generation work to contain the evil in the world." She then sighed. "That Torch and my daughter prefer things to be more destructive."

"So Nyx is your daughter?" Phantom questioned.

"Indeed," Pandora smiled. "She's quite the handful sometimes, but I have taught her the necessary morals of the world. Her…chaotic nature gets the better of her a lot, though."

"I think my town saw that today…" Phantom noted.

"Yes, do not fret, dear." Pandora comforted him. "I shall send some of my people to help fix what was destroyed. It is the least I can do."

"Thanks," Phantom gratefully said. "So, you're one of the six ghosts that sealed the Ghost King right?"

"Ah…" Pandora nodded. "That's correct. But that was a long time ago. Now, I merely keep to myself in the Ghost Zone."

"How did you know Klarion?" Phantom questioned.

"…" Pandora paused for a moment. "You have surely heard my title 'Controller of Chaos'."

"Yeah," Phantom nodded, "Torch mentioned it once."

"It has to do with my box." Pandora explained. "I created a box to contain the worst evils of the Ghost Zone and the Human World. This bettered the world, but not everyone was happy. Klarion is chaos incarnate. He wants this world to be anarchic. I try to stop him. We have fought many times over the centuries."

"Why did he say that Nyx was his?" Phantom instantly regretted this question. Pandora's saddened features made him wince. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"No…" Pandora shook her head. "With Klarion's apparent interest in you, you deserve to know. Our last battle was almost a decade ago. It was a battle of the ages. After a while, I gained the advantage and tried to trap him in my box. In desperation, Klarion tried to use my own power against me.

"He tried to create a monster using both my and his energy. In a way, he was trying to make controlled chaos. That was his mistake. Our energies could never get along in the way that he wanted. Instead of a monster, he got a baby.

"He was so shocked, that I managed to get the advantage over him. He fled and left the baby on the battleground. At first I debated on whether or not I should kill it. The baby was designed to be my end and would undoubtedly bring only destruction if let be. Then, I got a glimpse of the baby.

"She was so beautiful. She was so innocent. She was so perfect. I instantly fell in love with her the way only a mother could. I decided to raise her myself. It was not an easy task to raise a child of chaos, but I did it. I even managed to give her appreciation of life and the rights of every living individual. Some lessons did not sink in as well…

"I tried to tell her not to enter the Human World. With Klarion out here, it's dangerous for her. If he can't control her, he'll destroy her. But she had to come see the world for herself. Luckily, I think your presence in this city deterred Klarion." Pandora noted.

Phantom's eyes widened. "But I couldn't even hurt him."

"Maybe not, but even Colossus has admitted the incredibly potential in you. One day, you could rival all of us in power, skill, and ability. Klarion senses this potential and is cautious. Not to mention the alliances you have with Colossus, Plasmius, and Frostbite. Plus, Torch considers you his equal. Or…maybe it's something else completely . It is hard to predict Klarion's actions and motivations." Pandora explained.

"I'm not allied to Colossus." Phantom pointed out.

"He calls you his rival." Pandora noted. "That is as close to an alliance with Colossus that anyone can get."

"Well…I'm glad I could help. Even if I didn't really do anything." Phantom shrugged.

Pandora laughed gently. Then, with a mother's smile she added, "You fought Klarion and protected my daughter. Even if it was inadvertent, I would call that a lot."

Phantom blushed. "Thanks…"

"I thank you, young hero." Pandora knelt down and held out her spear with two hands. "I wish to offer you my spear as a show of good grace between us."

"I can't accept this." Phantom waved his hands in denial.

"Of course you can." Pandora said sternly. "It will show that like the others, I am allied with you…Plus, I've got a hundred of them back home, so I won't miss it."

"I'm…honored." Phantom bowed to the ancient ghost.

Pandora chuckled, "You have earned it by your actions, young hero. Keep up the fight. Your influence is more than you know."

* * *

><p>"So, you ditched school, destroyed public property, caused several arguments among families, and picked a fight with Nyx?" Danny asked in surprise.<p>

After returning, Danny took Pandora's spear to the vault. He was about to take his music lesson from Ember, when Dani asked to talk to him in the living room. Imagine his surprise when Dani told him exactly what happened today.

"Yes, I needed to tell you." Dani dropped her head in shame.

"I'm…surprised." Danny mumbled.

"I know. I did bad things." Dani pouted.

"No, that you actually told me." Danny admitted. "You would have gotten away with it. Your school was closed after all the destruction. There were no witnesses. I wouldn't have even asked you why you were fighting Nyx."

"My conscience wouldn't let me leave it alone. I had to tell you." Dani explained.

"Well, then…I'm proud of you." Danny knelt and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What?!" Dani cried in shock. "You're proud of me?"

"Yeah," Danny nodded. "You told me the truth when you didn't have to. You showed great character by doing that…I doubt I would have said anything if it was me…" Danny chuckled.

"But..but…I did those bad things." Dani stuttered.

"We all make mistakes. What made you different was that you admitted to them and are going to make up for them." Danny explained.

Dani groaned. "Here comes the punishment."

"Well, duh." Danny flicked her on the forehead. "You knew it was coming."

"Yeah…What is it?" Dani whimpered.

"Tomorrow after school, you're going to help Pandora's people clean up the mess you made. Then, you're grounded for this weekend." Phantom stated.

"…That's it?" Dani questioned.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Danny grinned. "You wanted more? Cause I can give you more."

"Nonononononononon!" Dani rapidly shook her head. "I'm good. It's just that I expect worse."

"You lived up to your mistakes." Danny stated. "Cleaning it all up is a given. The grounding is just because Vlad put me in charge while he's gone and would freak if I didn't at least ground you a little."

"…Thanks, Danny." Dani smiled.

"No problem, you little trouble maker," Danny ruffled her hair. "Now if you excuse me, I have some music lessons to attend."

"IT'S ABOUT TIME!" Ember yelled impatiently from a couple rooms away.

Both halfas laughed at that. Yes, it was a happy ending today. It was the perfect end to a thrilling stor-

Ring!…stupid phone…

Danny sighed, "I'll get it…"

He got up and walked out the room to the phone. While he was gone, Ember walked in the room. "Now I think he's just trying to procrastinate."

Dani laughed. "Yes, he'll do anything to get away from the big bad music lessons."

Ember snorted. "You think his music sucks, right?"

Dani nodded, "Oh completely."

Suddenly, Danny in ghost form flew into the room. In a panicked voice, Danny shouted. "You're punishment is on hold! Go back your bags, now!"

"Wha?" Dani's eyes widened in shock.

"What's wrong Danny?" Ember was concerned. "What about our music lessons?"

"They can wait!" Phantom hurriedly yelled. "This is an emergency! Dan, go pack now, please. I need to book some tickets to Star City."

"Why?" Dani questioned.

"Vlad's in the hospital!" Phantom panicked. "The doctors say that his face is covered in green acne!"

* * *

><p><strong>Nyx is the third major OC. She is a ghost that cares only about her entertainment. She despises boredom, but will not kill or harm innocents. Special shout out to nightmaster000, for helping me with this character. Nyx exists because of you, my friend.<strong>** experience in fighting magic and Klarion has a lot of experience fighting ghosts. Plus, Teekl is his only real vulnerability.**

**Ember's past is actually one that the creators of Danny Phantom made. Her song in the show hints to it.**

**I am officially sick of Teen Titans Go! I went with it at first, but...it's not the Teen Titans. I'm disappointed and saddened by it. So sad...**

**On a better note, The Last of Us. Wow. It is amazing. I could spend an hour talking about this game. If you have a PS3, you should play it. It is definitely game of the year material.**

**Thank you all for reading and please remember to...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	12. Miracles

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Out of difficulties grow miracles." Jean de la Bruyere

* * *

><p>Chapter 12: "Miracles"<p>

(Thursday-March 4, 2010)

Dani shifted uncomfortably as Danny helped her out of the limousine. They had arrived in Star City merely an hour ago. They were met by waves of press and news crews. Originally, Dani thought the press was here for her dad's illness.

She was wrong for the most part.

All the reporters seemed concerned about was Fenton Works. Some of them asked about her dad, but for the most part, all the questions were about Danny and ecto weapons. The halfa girl heard so many questions about ghosts that she couldn't even discern one question from another question. In fact, she could barely walk in a straight line because of all the noise and lack of room.

Luckily, Danny was there to help her. He took her by the shoulders and guided her past all of the craziness and outside. They were greeted by the limousine that Danny called to take them to the hospital.

Dani thought that they were done with the crazy reporters, but she was wrong. The hospital was packed. Flashing camera lights and waves of people were all that Dani could see. She was grateful that Danny took it upon himself to help her through the crowd again.

"Mr. Fenton, a question please!"

"Are you concerned about world wide ghost attacks?!"

"Do you know anything about Mr. Masters?!"

"Did you provide ecto weapons to the Batman?

"Miss Masters!? What are your thoughts on all this?"

Dani had never wanted to turn invisible more than this moment. Granted she liked some attention, but now she was uncomfortable. It was like the world was watching and judging her. It was a lot of pressure for a preteen girl.

"Just look forward," Danny whispered. "Don't say anything and keep moving. They won't be allowed inside."

Dani nodded and did as her brother instructed. She was glad he was here to help her. Not only with the reporters…but also with her dad's illness. The flight over was very difficult for the young girl. Danny was a big help.

Stepping through the hospital door was like stepping into another world. The deafening noise of the outside was almost completely cut off by the thick hospital walls. Dani sighed in relief.

Danny let go of her shoulders and walked up to the window. "We're here to see Vlad Masters."

The nurse nodded. "Yes, Mr. Fenton. I was told that you were coming. He's being help in intensive care right now. I'll show you to him."

"Thank you." Danny turned to his clone. "Come on, Dani, let's go."

The three made their way through the hospital. The nurse and Danny seemed to be discussing something, but Dani couldn't bring herself to listen. She couldn't bring herself to pay much attention to anything really. That fact that her dad was ill greatly disturbed Dani.

Her dad had always seemed so invincible. He always seemed to be in control of every situation. Even after he was captured by Nocturne, he acted like it was a mild inconvenience. That was her dad, the suave, never flinching man that spoke as if he could take on the world. Dani never doubted that he could, too.

But now…

"You can see him in the observation room," The nurse interrupted her thoughts. "If you want to go into his room, you'll have to wear protective suits. We don't know if this disease can spread."

Danny nodded, "Thank you." He turned to Dani. "Are you okay for this?"

Dani trembled. She really didn't want to go in there, but this was her dad, "I'll be okay."

Danny looked at her for a moment, then opened the door for her, "Okay, then."

Dani took slow deliberate steps into the observation room. She dared not to look up. The halfa couldn't bring herself to look at her father in such a weak state. This had to be done, though. She had to be there for her dad, even if she didn't like the view.

Slowly, the girl raised her had and instantly gasped. Through the glass, she could see her father laying on his bed. His face was covered in dark green acne. He was deathly pale. The powerful halfa billionaire looked so…weak.

Dani felt her knees go weak in shock. She would have fallen to the floor if Danny didn't stop her. Dani couldn't peal her eyes away from her father, but she knew that Danny was looking at him too. If she did look up, though, she would have seen Danny's pained look.

They stayed like that for a while. The two adopted siblings stood together and looked at their weakened guardian. Neither said anything. The long, awkward, painful silence remained unbroken for a long time.

The noise that did break the silence wasn't that loud. Even in such a state of silence, it was barely audible. They both heard it as clearly as day, though. The noise was a small whimper.

What really shocked Dani was the origin of the whimper. It was the sound of a saddened puppy, yet no puppy was in the room. In fact, the only two people in the room right now were the two halfa's. The noise hadn't come from her adopted brother, so that only left one person.

Another whimper managed to slip its way past Dani's lips. Then a third louder one came out. She took a short shallow breath as hot tears started racing from her eyes. Finally, she just let go, "Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"

Dani cried. The tough cross-species girl let go of her pride and cried for her ill father. She sobbed over the terrible pain her father was feeling. She cried over the injustice of it all. He didn't deserve to be like this!

Danny carefully knelt by his adopted sister and gently pulled her into an embrace. Dani placed her head on her brother's shoulder, and his shirt was instantly soaked. Part of her was ashamed of her reaction. This was not how a super hero was supposed to act. The other louder part, though, couldn't care less.

"I know," Danny gently patted her back. "Let it out."

Dani did exactly that.

"This would be the point where I say meaningless words to try and comfort you." Danny solemnly stated. "But I don't have any right now, because I really suck at this."

Dani managed a choked chuckle.

"I can tell you this," Danny whispered. "I won't stop until I find a way to heal Vlad. I promise."

That made Dani feel better. Danny would keep his word. Dani then mumbled into his shoulder, "I know… thank you…"

* * *

><p>Danny got to work immediately on trying to help Vlad. He talked to all the doctors, specialists, and health consultants that he could. None of them were of any help.<p>

They told him that this disease was unlike any that they had ever seen. With no prior cases to go on, they could only guess at what would help. It was the same with all other fatal diseases. To know how to help or to make a vaccine would take time. Time that Vlad didn't have.

Danny pointed out that Vlad had this disease before. He came out scotch free then (except the ghost powers). How could this time be any different?

"We received the reports from that hospital." One of the doctors explained. "While the acne caused great pain, it never had such…fatal consequences before. The doctors there thought that his body had built a strange immunity to the radiation, but obvious it has been festering and evolved. None of the previous blood samples or tests would be of help."

Without the medical doctors, Danny turned to another kind of doctors. Several scientists were examining Vlad's tissue and blood. They were obviously fascinated by the disease. The only information Danny got from them so far was that the acne were like tumors.

"It's a miracle he's alive, really," One of the scientists commented. "Most people would have died by now. I wonder how it is he's survived this long…"

All the doctors and scientists were still working, but they weren't getting results. Thus, Danny decided to try and get some results of his own. He had some samples of his own that he was examining. They were quite fascinating…

Danny slammed his head on the table. Who was he kidding? He was still a pretty big idiot. None of this crap made any sense to him…

"Any results, Mr. Fenton?" A familiar voice sounded behind Danny.

Danny looked up to see a bald man with his cute assistant by his side, "No, Mr. Luthor."

"Ah…" Luthor glanced over the various equipment across the table. "I see. You're still trying nevertheless. Commendable."

"Thanks…" Danny mumbled as he massaged his temples. "Being commendable doesn't help Vlad, though."

"No results will," Luthor stated. "And the only way to get said results is by trial and error. You should know that. You are an inventor."

Danny snorted. He broke more than he creates most of the time. "That's with stupid machines that aren't even necessary. This is about Vlad's life. I can't waste time with trial and error."

"Yet it is the only way." Luthor pointed out.

Danny groaned. He was not anywhere near in the mood for this, but he knew that he needed to use his manners. "No offense, sir, but why are you here?"

"I had several business meetings in this city over the past week. One of them was with Mr. Masters. He likes to do business in neutral cities. He is definitely a smart business man. Take away the home court advantage altogether and it can't be used against you." The bald billionaire noted.

Danny nodded. He knew why Vlad was out here. His mentor had failed to mention that he would be meeting with Lex Luthor, though. Oh, well, it was none of Danny's business.

"I meant, why are you talking to me?" Danny gave Luthor a side glance as the halfa continued to work. He was working hard not to lose his temper and being interrupted wasn't helping.

"Well, I am concerned about Mr. Masters," Luthor admitted. "He is a good business partner."

"I understand that. Why else would you visit him in the hospital." Danny clarified. He "That doesn't explain why you are talking to me."

"I am interested in the future, Mr. Fenton." Luthor took a seat on a chair on the opposite side of the table. His assitant stood by him dutifully. "And whether you like it or not. You are going to be a big part of that future."

"Not if I don't want to be." Danny mumbled. He had too much crap to deal with now to worry about an uncertain future.

"No one has a choice in their destiny, Mr. Fenton." Luthor smiled. "We all have to play the roles that we were born for."

Danny rolled his eyes. This conversation was really irritating to him. "I think we once talked about this, Mr. Luthor. I'm not selling weapons."

"I know, and while I don't agree with your decision, I respect it," Luthor looked over the equipment again. "I'm here for another aspect of your expertise."

"I really don't have time for this…" Danny mumbled tiredly. Fatigue beat anger apparently.

"I know, this is important, though." Luthor stated. "I'll leave you to your work after this."

"Alright…" Danny agreed. He was too tired and stressed to argue. "What is it?"

"These…ghosts… can they be controlled?" Luthor questioned.

"Not anymore than you can control humans." Danny answered. "They were once humans, now they just have bodies made of ectoplasm…and super powers…and obsessive personalities."

"So, they are like meta-humans?" Luthor asked.

"Now that is debatable." Danny explained. "I don't know much about meta-humans, but I do know that they have a similar DNA to regular humans. Ghosts, however, have a completely different DNA. For example, meta-humans and humans can have children. Ghosts and humans...not so much. If you go by that, then no, but if you go by a human changing into something more, then yes."

"Hmm…" Luthor hummed. "So the only way to make a ghost is for a person to die?"

"No," Danny shook his head. "Some ghosts are created by ideas and legends. It's a complicated and long process, though. It could take centuries of a story being constantly told."

"I see…" Luthor nodded. "I know that you need to get back to work, but allow me one last question."

"Ok," Danny sighed.

"Is it possible to give humans the abilities of ghosts?" Luthor's word chilled Danny's veins.

"…Why would you want to do that?" Danny questioned. "Thinking about making some human weapons?"

"It's merely a question, Mr. Fenton." Luthor explained. "A question that I thought of during one of many sleepless nights."

"Ghosts are created by ectoplasmic radiation." Danny warned and lied. "Vlad is an example of a human being exposed to too much of that radiation. Human bodies cannot adapt to such radiation as far as I know. They might momentarily gain powers, but they would die very quickly."

"Hmm, I thought as much." Luthor stood up and stuck out his hand. "Thank you for your time, Mr. Fenton."

"No problem," Danny nodded and shook Luthor's hand. "I needed the break."

"Have a nice day, and good luck in your endeavor." Luthor smiled and turned to leave.

"You were wrong by the way." Danny noted.

"You'll have to excuse me," Luthor turned back to Danny, "What exactly was I wrong about."

"No one has been all that aggressive about ecto-weaponry since your party." Danny commented. "Your warning wasn't really needed."

"Oh, it's good that my warning was unnecessary." Luthor smiled. He turned and walked out of the room. When he was certain that Danny (who looked relived to finally be alone again) went back to work and couldn't hear him, Luthor added. "Yet."

* * *

><p>Dani stared solemnly into her father's room. She hadn't moved in hours. Despite the fact that fatigue and hunger was beginning to catch up to her, the female halfa couldn't force herself to move. It was like she was glued to her spot.<p>

The only reason that she wasn't in his room right now, was because the nurse told her that she needed to let him rest. This merely annoyed the halfa girl, though. Her dad has been unconscious the entire time she was here. They had him on enough drugs to make an elephant drowsy.

Groan! The sound from Dani's stomach caused Dani to wince. She ignored it, though. The halfa wasn't in the mood to move.

"It sounds as if you're hungry." A deep voice sounded from behind her. "It's a good thing I brought some snacks with me."

Dani turned and gave a sad smile to the familiar figure. "Hey, Mr. Wayne."

"Please," Wayne smiled as he handed her a plastic bag. "Call me Bruce."

"Um, okay…Bruce. Thank you." Dani carefully examined the bag. It was full of crackers, candies, and other things from the vending machine. "You didn't have to-"

"I know," Bruce smiled softly. "I wanted to. I know you must be hungry."

As if on cue, Dani's stomach let out another loud groan. The halfa blushed in embarrassment. "Well, I uh kind of forgot to eat."

Bruce hummed, "It is easy to forget the occasional meal when things like this happen."

"Yeah," Dani nodded.

"Maybe you should rest." Bruce noted. "You look exhausted."

"Danny offered to take me to the hotel room he got, but I said no." Dani explained. "If he's going to stay here all night, so am I."

"Is that out of loyalty or stubbornness?" Bruce questioned.

"Both." Dani admitted.

Bruce chuckled at that. "As expected out of Vlad's daughter."

The female halfa couldn't hold in a smile at that comment. She had picked up a few of her father's personality traits. Usually she would have pouted at that being pointed out, but right now was an exception.

Yawning, Dani asked, "Were you here meeting Dad with business?"

"Yes and no," Bruce frowned. "It's complicated."

"With adults, its always complicated." Dani grumbled as she searched the bag of snacks.

"Too true." Bruce agreed. He then turned to the window to Vlad's room. "It's always frightening to see someone like this. It reminds me of my mortality."

Dani took a big bite out of a granola bar. Honestly, she didn't really think about mortality. She was a ghost after all. Her dad's condition more of reminded her of the dangers of being a halfa. Standing at the borders of life of death was a dangerous thing to do. "If we think only about death, then how can we live our lives?"

"That's very insightful." Bruce murmered. He had heard the same thing various times over the years. "What brought about this bit of wisdom is such a young woman?"

Dani paused her chewing. "Uh…Danny…He's…It's…"

"Okay," Bruce nodded. "You don't have to say anymore."

"Thanks." Dani nodded.

There was a moment of silence between the two. The only sound was the quite chewing that came from Dani. Then, she broke the silence. "Bruce?"

"Yes?" Bruce answered.

"Do you think that my dad will make it?" Dani questioned.

Bruce looked uncomfortable. "The best doctors and scientists in the world are working to save him."

"But they say that they can't save them." Dani murmured.

"Well…your brother is working to help too, right?" Bruce suggested.

"He's not good with this kind of stuff." Dani pointed out. "He's really only good with fixing and making stuff. He probably couldn't even tell you what DNA stands for."

Bruce paused. "Don't you trust him?"

"I do, but…" Dani looked at her father.

"Sometimes, that has to be enough." Bruce explained. "Trust and faith are the only things you have sometimes. Have faith that everything will work out and it just might…sorry, I'm not all that good at this. Usually, a friend Alfred is the one giving encouragement."

"It's alright…" Dani whispered as she put her hand on the glass. "Faith and trust… Okay, then."

* * *

><p>The wind swept through Danny's hair as he stood on the roof of the hospital. He had been working nonstop for hours and needed a break. Usually, the halfa would go for a flight when he needed a break, but because he was in a different city, that wasn't an option.<p>

So, Danny went to the highest place he could get to at the time. It was not nearly the same as flying, but it would have to do. He didn't really had any other option.

Groaning, the halfa sat at the edge of the roof. He was so tired, but he knew that sleep was impossible right now. The insomnia he had been suffering and the recent stress of Vlad's illness barely allowed him to close his eyes for a few moments.

Danny placed his face in his hands and sighed sadly. It was beginning to look like saving Vlad would be impossible. Using all the limited knowledge and a lot of internet information, Danny managed to come to a understand one thing. He realized that there had to be some difference between how he and Vlad obtained their ghost powers.

They got their powers from similar accidents. The conditions had to be just right for a halfa to be made. Even then, though, there were other variables such as genetics, will power, and the potential for an obsession to form that also counted into the equation.

For Vlad's illness to remain at bay for so long, there had to be only a subtle difference between the two accidents. The problem now was determining what the difference was. It could be almost anything, and Danny didn't have time to run thousands of tests to find out what the difference was.

Considering the time restraints, Danny should still be working. He was having trouble focusing now, though. 'I need to get some sleep soon…'

"Hey there!" A friendly voice greeted Danny.

Turning, Danny was surprised to see the resident heroes of the city standing behind him. Green Arrow looked like Robin Hood with his green clothing. His partner Speedy wore a similar outfit, except he had yellow gloves, belt, and feathered hat. Along side the two men was the beautiful Black Canary.

"Hey," Danny greeted tiredly.

"Aren't you that Fenton kid?" Speedy asked. "Damn, you look exhausted, and that's coming from a guy that stays up half the night fighting bad guys."

"Speedy!" Black Canary admonished. "Don't be rude! He's going through a lot right now! It's good to see you again, Danny."

"Wish it was under better circumstances." Danny stated dryly. The heroes had the decency to gain a sheepish look at least.

Usually, Danny would use this opportunity to get some face with well known heroes. His inner nerd would have demanded that he get the archers' autographs. Right now, though he was too tired, and it showed. "Is there a reason you're here?"

"I saw someone on the roof up here. It's weird for anyone to be on the roof of a hospital this late." Green Arrow smiled cheerily. "I thought it would be a good idea to say hi."

"Well…" Danny gave them a sweeping glance. "I appreciate it, but I really need to be alone right now. I need some thinking space."

"Of course-" Black Canary was interrupted by Green Arrow.

The hooded hero plopped down by Danny. "What cha thinking about?"

The hero's companions face-palmed at their comrade's lack of tact. Speedy groaned out, "What do you think he's talking about?"

"Don't jump to conclusions!" Green Arrow exclaimed. "He could be having a deep contemplation about life, liberty, and the pursuit of-"

"I was thinking about Vlad." Danny interrupted the hero.

"…Or he could be thinking about the obvious thing." Green Arrow deflated. "You couldn't let me have this, could you kid?"

"No."

"Great now he's busting my balls…" Green Arrow muttered. "I can't get away with anything…"

"Come on, Green Arrow," Black Canary motioned for the hero to get up.

"But I just got comfortable…" Green Arrow commented.

In response, Black Canary merely raised an eyebrow.

"Okay! Okay!" Green Arrow rocketed to his feat in fear. "I'm up."

Both Danny and Speedy snorted. "Whipped."

"Whatever…" Green Arrow began to walk away from Danny. "It was nice meeting you kid. I hope your guardian gets better soon."

Danny nodded and turned back around. He had to think about what he could do to help Vlad. Maybe he should compare his DNA to Vlad's to see…

"Wait. One more thing." Speedy's voice caused Danny to turn again.

"Yes?" Danny raised an eyebrow. Outside he was calm, but inside he thought, 'Damn it, leave me alone!'

"You made ecto weapons for Batman." Speedy stated.

"I did." Danny nodded. That was common knowledge by now.

"Can you please make some for us?" Speedy questioned.

"Speedy," Black Canary began. "He doesn't have time for-"

"Okay." Danny shocked the heroes.

"Ha! I'm not the only one who was wrong tonight!" Green Arrow boasted. "Wait. What?"

"Obviously I can't do it right, now," Danny commented. "But I can get started when I get home. I'll have Batman pass them on to you."

"You'd do that?" Black Canary asked.

"Sure, why not?" Danny asked.

"Well…" Green Arrow shrugged. "You haven't really sold any weapons. I just assumed Bats did his glare and made you give him weapons."

"No," Danny shook his head. "Like Speedy, he just asked and I agreed. No payment needed."

"Well, that's surprising…" Speedy commented. "I thought I would have to convince you."

"You did say please." Danny pointed out.

"That's it? All you need to hear is please?" Green Arrow inquired.

"Yeah." Danny nodded. "You'd be surprised how hard it is to get a decent please from people these days."

"That," Black Canary smiled. "I can believe."

"Thanks, Danny." Green Arrow smiled. "At first, I didn't think much about ghosts, but after that whole sleeping incident…"

"Everything's clearer in hindsight." Danny noted. "Don't worry about it. I was the same way a year ago."

Despite his answer, Danny was frowning. It was the Justice League's responsibility to stop situations like Nocturne's attacks. If they managed to stop it, then he wouldn't have had to…

Bad thoughts. Bad thoughts. Bad…Coldness. Coldness.

"A lot can happen in a year." Speedy agreed.

"Yeah," Danny sighed. His terrible mood from the past few weeks was showing. "Most of it bad, too."

"Maybe you should get some sleep." Black Canary kindly suggested. "You look exhausted."

"I won't be able to sleep until Vlad is better." Danny groaned. "There doesn't seem to be a humanly possible way to help him right now…"

"Maybe that's the problem." Green Arrow suggested. "The guy is sick because of ectoplasmic radiation right? That's not very human. Maybe you should try something involving ghosts?"

Black Canary sighed, "Green Arrow, that's-"

"Brilliant…" Danny trailed off in thought.

"What?" The three heroes questioned.

"I'm an idiot." Danny stood and began to head to the door. His fatigue and annoyance was instantly forgotten. "If I can't use human means, then I can use ghosts to heal Vlad."

"What are you…" Speedy never got to finish his question.

"Thanks for the help!" Danny called as he ran through the door. "Hey! Before you leave, could you stop and say hi to my sister. She could use the distraction!"

The three heroes were left alone on the roof. Green Arrow voiced all their thoughts. "What just happened?"

* * *

><p>"Dani! Dani! Dani!" Dani was awoken by someone nudging her shoulder. She took a moment to realize where she was. The halfa was still in the observation room, but she was on a cot. That was weird the last thing she remembered was talking to Mr. Wa…Bruce.<p>

'I must have fallen asleep…' Dani rubbed her eyes she pulled her blanket off her. 'Did he get me this to sleep on?'

"Danielle!" Danny shouted out.

"Wha?" Dani blinked a couple of times.

"Wake up, we need to talk." Danny urgently stated.

"I'm awake." Dani yawned. "What's wrong?"

"I'm going to be gone for a couple of hours." Danny rapidly stated. "I needed to tell you."

"Where are you going?" Dani questioned.

"The Ghost Zone." Danny said.

"Why?" Dani was at a loss.

"I have an idea of how to save Vlad." That got Dani's attention.

"How?"

"I'm gonna fight fire with fire." Danny stated.

"Huh?" Dani tilted her head to the side. "There's a fire? Are you going to get Torch?"

"What? No!" Danny seemed appalled by the idea of going to Torch for help.

"Ember then?" Dani suggested.

"No! Forget the fire thing!" Danny sighed. "I'm going to get a ghost to cure Vlad."

"How?" Dani questioned.

"I can't use human ways to save Vlad, so I'll get a powerful ghost to help him." Danny explained. "Some ghost should be able to save him."

"Who though?" Dani asked.

"I've thought of three that might be able to help." Danny smiled. "I just hope my first option works. I don't really want to resort to the other two."

"Oh…" Dani nodded. "How will-"

Danny cut her off. "I called Wulf using the communicator I gave him. He's waiting for me right now."

"Okay," Dani stood. "Let's go."

"You can't go." Danny shook his head.

"What?" Dani became upset. "Why?"

"If we both left, it would look suspicious. I need you to cover for me." Danny explained. "Someone might come looking for me. Tell them I went for a walk to clear my head."

"Oh…" Dani frowned. She didn't like being left behind, but this was to save her dad, so she would suck it up. "Alright. Hurry, though."

"You got it." Danny nodded and looked over to Vlad's room. "I'll be back as fast as I can."

"Yeah." Dani nodded and sat back down on the cot. She was still very tired.

"Oh, by the way," Danny said as he was walking out the door. "You have some visitors."

"Visitors?" Dani frowned. "Who would…"

The female halfa was shocked when she saw Star City's three heroes standing at the door. Her jaw instantly dropped. Her eyes shinned. She became so excited that she was actually vibrating.

"Oh my gosh!" Dani rocketed across the room in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, sleep was the last thing on her mind.

* * *

><p>"Welcome to my library!" The Ghost Writer exclaimed dramatically as he gestured all around him.<p>

"It's…impressive." Phantom commented.

"(Massive is the better word.)" Wulf sniffed the musty air.

The first stop on the trip was the Ghost Writer. If anyone had any information on anything in the Ghost Zone, it would be the Ghost Writer. He had the biggest collection of written information in both worlds. Hopefully, there was something on ecto-acne.

"Sorry about visiting at this hour." Phantom apologized.

"Nonsense!" The Ghost Writer grinned. "I was up late writing my newest masterpiece anyway. Having a guest interested in my books is excellent. Very few people understand the power of literature."

Phantom hummed. "That is very true."

Wulf shrugged. "(I was never much of a reader.)"

"That is your loss, then." The Ghost Writer commented sadly.

Wulf was shocked. "(You can understand me?)"

"Of course." The Ghost Writer nodded. This grey skinned ghost was wearing a purple blazer and grey shirt, pants, and scarf. The ghost had green eyes, reading glasses, and a black goatee. "Not all books are in English. If a language has written literature, then I know everything about it."

"Well, I'm not here about languages." Phantom admitted. "Do you have any books on illnesses?"

The Ghost Writer beamed. "Ah! You're interested in medical books!"

The Ghost Writer ran over to a large wall of books. It was a massive book shelf filled completely with medical journals and similar books. To Wulf and Phantom, the shelf seemed like it was never ending it was so tall.

"What do you need to know about?" The Ghost Writer smiled and showed his sharp white teeth. "Heart surgery? Pneumonia? The Black Plague?"

"Ecto acne." Phantom answered.

The Ghost Writer paused. "Is that a new disease? I've read all my books and none of them has that disease."

Phantom instantly deflated. "Nothing?"

"Well…" Suddenly, the Ghost Writer floated into the air and an energy keyboard formed around him. "I can check the internet, if you want."

Phantom sighed. "I already checked…"

"Hmm…" The Ghost Writer looked at his screen. "There are several recent articles on ecto-acne. Vlad Masters…That is your mentor, correct?"

"Yes…" Phantom mumbled.

"I understand your concern, then." The Ghost Writer admitted. "Unfortunately, I have no information on this disease."

"Damn." Phantom cursed. "Oh, well, I'll just have to go with plan B…

"(Excuse me?)" Wulf interrupted. "(But I have heard that you are one of the six that sealed the Ghost King…)"

The Ghost Writer froze. "I was…"

"And I've heard that you have the power to change reality." Phantom pointed out.

The Ghost Writer looked uncomfortable. "I do…"

"Can you-" Phantom began to ask.

"No." The Ghost Writer quickly answered.

"Why not?" Phantom inquired.

"I don't use my powers to change anything permanent, like who lives and dies." The Ghost Writer explained. "It will disrupt the order in nature. Doing so has unspeakable consequences."

"(You did it once with the Ghost King.)" Wulf pointed out.

"I did." Ghost Writer nodded. "That was the only exception I have made so far. Usually all I do is use my powers to teach people lessons, but Pariah Dark was beyond help. All six of us agreed that he needed to be stopped."

"I understand." Phantom said sadly.

Ghost Writer gave him a sympathetic smile. "It must be hard to feel so powerless, and I'm sorry, but I have taken a vow never to use my powers to save lives or end them unless the threat is world threatening. After all, there is no way of telling how permanently altering reality will affect both our worlds."

"(That makes sense, I suppose.)" Wulf mumbled. He didn't look happy, though.

"Thanks, anyway, Ghost Writer…" Phantom sadly smiled.

"Please," Ghost Writer extended his hand. "Call me Scribe. You don't have to use such an old title."

Phantom shook the hand. "Thanks, Scribe. Come on, Wulf. Time for plan B."

"(What's plan B?)" Wulf asked.

"Wishful thinking."

* * *

><p>The excitement of meeting superheroes (Especially the Black Canary, Dani wanted to be just like her) died down quickly when Vlad's vitals spiked suddenly. The girl halfa's good mood instantly vanished as she watched the doctors rush into her father's room.<p>

She didn't understand what they were doing really. What could they do right now? That didn't stop them from trying, though.

The room was packed with doctors that were running around frantically. All of them were screaming at each other. Dani couldn't understand a word they were saying, though. Her attention was directed completely at her father.

He seemed to be shaking. Maybe he was cold? Maybe he was scared?…No, Dani knew the truth. Her father was having a seizure.

Dani stood and watched as her sick father. A feeling of helplessness overtook her. What could she do to help?

The truth was that there was nothing she could do to help. This was beyond her control and it hurt her. She needed to be useful. She needed to help her father. She needed him to live, yet that was looking less and less likely by the minute.

Bruce's words came back to Dani's mind. 'Faith and trust are the only things you have sometimes. I need to believe that Danny will fix this. He will cure Dad…I know it.'

So, the halfa stood there and sent a silent prayer out that Danny would make it back in time. After all, that was all she could do.

* * *

><p>"Are you insane?" Desiree question from her position on a pile of pillows. Desiree's domain appeared as a sultan's palace, only a smaller version. They were currently in a throne room. Desiree's throne, however, was merely a stack of pillows. Not very lavish, but it did look comfortable.<p>

"(Probably.)" Wulf commented. "(Wishful thinking…Dumbest plan ever. Do you really think that she will help you?)"

"I'm desperate, okay?" Phantom whispered to his friend.

"(Yeah, well let's hope your plan C is better.)" Wulf sighed.

Phantom was silent in response.

"Quit acting as if I can't here you!" Desiree demanding. "Even if I can't understand you, that does not give you the right to ignore me when you come to visit me!"

Wulf snickered. "(Forgive me, Oh, Great One.)"

"Don't make fun of me." Phantom groaned.

"You men…" Desiree rolled her eyes. "No manners whatsoever."

"I'm sorry, Desiree," Phantom apologized. "But I need your help."

"Yes, yes, I know." Desiree sighed. "You want me to use my powers to help heal Plasmius."

"Yeah, that about sums it up." Phantom admitted.

"Well my answer is no." Desiree stubbornly shook her head.

"Please?" Phantom asked.

"No!"

"Pretty please with sugar on top and those little sprinkles that I secretly love but am too afraid of the rebuke of my peers to eat."

"What/ Que?" Both Wulf and Desiree asked.

"Did I say that out loud?" Phantom questioned, then with a deepened voice added. "Okay…manly super please?"

"In that case…" Desiree smiled. "Absolutely no!"

Phantom stood there for a few seconds with a blank stare. Then, he turned and began to walk away. "Okay, come one, Wulf. Plan C it is."

"Huh?" Desiree's eyes widened as Wulf began to follow his friend.

"I said okay. You told me your answer." Phantom explained as he continued to walk away. "Plan C was always the best option anyway. I'm just gonna have to suck up my pride and ask him for help…"

"But…" Desiree's face was completely confused. "You need my help."

"No," Phantom corrected. "I want and could use your help. Needing is something different."

"If you could use my help, why not wish for it?" Desiree inquired.

"You already said that you don't want to help us." Phantom stopped and turned. He was confused on why she was acting so weird.

"That has never stopped anyone before," Desiree explained. "After all, I have to obey any command that starts with 'I wish'."

"You do, and I won't do that." Phantom answered. "I respect your answer."

"Why?" Desiree questioned. "We are enemies. I would do that same to you if I was in your position."

"Then I guess there's the difference between the two of us." Phantom gave her a hard look. "I will not force anyone to do what I want just because I have the power to do so. It would be wrong."

"And yet people have done it to me for so long…" Desiree mumbled.

"I'm sorry, then." Phantom apologized. "But I don't really have time for this, I need to go help Vlad."

As they was beginning to leave, Desiree called out to the two ghosts. "Wait!"

"(What is it?)" Wulf asked irritably. Phantom made sure to translate.

Suddenly, Desiree's eyes and hands glowed green. Wulf and Phantom instantly readied themselves for a fight but were surprised then no attack came. Desiree floated in mid air for a good minute. She seemed to be concentrating on something.

After the minute was up, Desiree's eyes and hands turned back to normal. "I'm sorry. It didn't work."

"You…tried to help him?" Phantom asked.

"I did." Desiree nodded. "But I couldn't help him. His disease will only eat away anything I do to intervene. I tired to help him, but it is beyond my power. I'm sorry."

Phantom nodded slowly. "Thank you for trying."

Desiree crossed her arms and turned away. "Do not think that I did it for you. It was merely on a whim. I was bored."

"Of course…" Phantom gave her a small smile. Once again, he turned to leave.

As he neared the door, though, he heard Desiree speak one more time. "I have been a ghost for a long time. When I died I was sad and alone. All I wanted was to be happy and free, but it never happened.

"When I was alive, the only thing I knew how to do was to please others. It was the only thing that brought me any joy, but people always wanted more. In death, all I wanted was to be happy. So my powers developed to work in the only way I knew how to be happy…by serving others.

"I never found happiness, though. Because those people…those men were never satisfied. They wanted more and more. Each wish made me more and more bitter. Eventually, I stopped fulfilling people's wishes and turned their desires against them.

"Soon, I began to hate granting wishes, but people and my powers made resistance impossible. This…was the first time anyone has ever let me have the choice in how I use my powers." Desiree spoke with her back turned to them. Slowly she turned around and gave them a gentle smile. "Thank you."

"I…would hate it if I was used by someone else without having any control…" Phantom mumbled.

"(I would too… Being trapped is the worst feeling)" Wulf frowned sadly.

"Yeah…" Phantom stopped and thought for a moment. This was a stupid idea, but… "I'm probably going to regret this later…"

"(What?)" Wulf tilted his head in confusion.

"Desiree!" Phantom caught the genie ghost's attention. "I wish that you no longer had to grant every wish you hear!"

Desiree gasped as green light surrounded her. It swirled around her in a small storm. Her powers responded to Phantom's wish and fulfilled it. After a few seconds, the light faded as if it was never there.

"What?" Desiree examined her hands in wonder. "I-I'm free…"

"(Was that a good idea? She is your enemy.)" Wulf pointed out.

"I know," Phantom agreed. "But no one deserves to be a slave."

"(This will make it very difficult to defeat her if she attacks. You eliminated her greatest weakness.)" Wulf eyed the genie ghost carefully.

"I know…" Phantom nodded. "But if she attacks, I'll just have to beat her the old fashioned way."

"…Why did…" Desiree chocked out.

"It was the right thing to do." Phantom explained. "But if you attack my town, I'll still have to kick your ass."

Desiree chuckled at the threat.

"I mean it." Phantom glared at the genie ghost. "Don't make me regret this decision."

Desiree had collapsed on her pile of pillows. She was turned away, so they couldn't she her face, but they could tell that she was crying. "I…sniff…I won't…sob…t-thank you."

"You're welcome." Phantom nodded and turned to Wulf. "Let's go. We're running out of time."

* * *

><p>"Miss Masters?" A doctor approached the girl in the observation room.<p>

"Yes." Dani's monotone voice answered.

"We managed to stabilize your father." The doctor explained. "But we had to put him on life support."

"I see… thank you."

"Don't thank me just yet." The doctor sadly stated. "Where's Mr. Fenton? I need to speak with him."

"He…went out on a walk a few hours ago." Dani lied. "He said he needed some air."

"You didn't think to call him?" The doctor questioned.

"I was a little busy worrying about my father!" Dani snapped.

"I'm sorry, it's just that Mr. Masters has designated that Mr. Fenton is the one to make decisions for him if he is unable to himself." The doctor apologized.

"I'm his daughter." Dani instructed. "You can tell me what it is."

"I don't think…" The doctor mumbled.

"Just tell me!" Dani ordered.

The doctor flinched. "Okay…you're father is alive, but that's where the good news ends. His disease is eating away at his insides. In a few hours, his organs won't be able to work properly."

Dani held back a whimper.

"We need Mr. Fenton's decision on what to do." The doctor explained. "If we keep him on life support, we're just going to prolong his pain."

"I…I'll call him and get him to come back." Dani whispered. The doctor nodded and began to walk away.

"Danny…please hurry…"

* * *

><p>"Hello, Clockwork…"<p>

"Daniel," The master of time turned to the halfa. "This is a surprise. You have never visited me before. But considering the circumstances, I suppose it was only a matter of time…"

"Bad puns are my thing…" Phantom mumbled.

Clockwork chuckled as he shifted into the form of an old man. "My apologizes."

"(Plan C…Plan Clockwork…)" Wulf commented.

"That's…" Phantom sighed. "Just a coincidence …"

"(Sure it is.)" Wulf grinned.

Phantom groaned and turned back to Clockwork. "I guess you know why I'm here."

"Of course I do." Clockwork shifter into a child. "The question is do you know why you're here?"

"Yeah," Phantom nodded. "I need help to save Vlad."

"Hmm…" Clockwork frowned, "And how exactly can I help?"

"I need to view the accident that caused Vlad to become half ghost." Phantom requested.

"That's it?" Clockwork seemed amused. "You don't want to change the past or something stupid like that?"

"Is that really an option?" Phantom asked.

"Yes."

"Oh…" Phantom shrugged. "Okay, so can I view the accident or not?"

Clockwork laughed as he shifted into an adult. "I suppose that this shows how much you have changed in this timeline…"

"What?" Phantom questioned. "Did I really try to change the past in anther timeline? That goes against everything time travel movies have ever taught me."

Clockwork chucked. "The circumstances were different. In fact you came to me first…Why did you wait, anyway?"

"I…can't depend on you for everything. You already intervened twice now." Phantom grimaced at the thought. "Coming to you didn't seem right, but I'm out of options."

"Pride, huh?" Clockwork mumbled. "Well, I'm glad that you waited."

"Why?" Phantom asked suspiciously.

"No reason." A now child Clockwork hid his smile. "Let's hurry. Time is short."

"Bad pun again…" Phantom grumbled.

With a wave of his staff, Clockwork showed a seen with three familiar people. Despite the circumstances, Phantom had to stifle a laugh. His parent's hair looked ridiculous.

Watching through the past memory was enlightening. He saw the creation of a powerful half right in front of him. The odd thing was that nothing seemed too different. Phantom head the younger version of his mother comment that the calculations were wrong, but all that resulted in was the burst of ectoplasm from the miniature portal.

"Hmm…" Phantom sighed desperately. "I didn't see anything that could help…"

Wulf shook his head. "(Let's watch again. Maybe we can see something this time.)"

Nodding, Phantom turned to the master of time. "Can we watch again, please?"

This time around, Phantom and Wulf eyed the memory more carefully. At the beginning, there seemed to be nothing amiss. "Maybe we can look at the clipboards to see what was…"

"Jack! Did you remember to fill the filter with ecto-purifier?" Maddie asked.

"On it baby!" Jack exclaimed as he grabbed a can and pored it into the filter.

"(I don't think was the purifier.)" Wulf commented.

"No it wasn't." Phantom's eyes widened. "It was Diet Cola…" The he face palmed. "That is definitely what a male Fenton would do…"

Clockwork smiled as the two ghosts solved the puzzle. "We must always learn from the past otherwise the same mistakes will be made again."

"And now I can fix that mistake. Thanks, Clockwork." Phantom turned and flew out of the room as fast as he could. Wulf was hot on his heels the entire way.

Clockwork shifted into the form of an adult and smiled at the doorway which the halfa just disappeared into. "You did well today, young Phantom…far more than you even begin to realize…"

The master of time looked over to the large window. The image changed from the accident to a more recent event. Desiree was crying tears of joy over her newly found freedom. Her faith in men and people in general was restored. Her smile was filled with happiness and joy.

Slowly, a ball of light drifted off of the genie's shoulder. A second ball of light then came off her head. Then, the dam burst. Small balls of light floated up from Desiree's body and disappeared in the air. Her form slowly began to fade away.

Through all of this Desiree's tears of joy never stopped falling. If anything, they only fell harder. Clockwork smiled as he watched as the genie's home began to glow like a small sun. Suddenly, the domain was gone. All that was left was Desiree.

A peaceful look came to Desiree's face. She was content. At long last she found her own happiness. Then, in a flash of light, she was gone.

"After all, it's not very often that a ghost's purpose is fulfilled."

* * *

><p>(Friday-March 5, 2010)<p>

Dani stood by her father. She was listing to the various machines that her father was hooked up to. She found that the sound was comforting. It was the only thing that confirmed that her father was still alive.

Things were not looking for the older halfa. His condition was getting worse by the minute. Soon, he would no longer be savable.

Once again, tears fell down the halfa's face. She couldn't wipe them away, though. Her protective suit was covering her face. So, the tears ran down her face unchecked. Not that Dani could bring herself to care.

Pride was completely out the window by now. What was the point of being prideful when her father was dying? There really wasn't one.

There no longer seemed to be hope. There was no sign of Danny and her father's condition was terrible. Her dad no time left. It was over…

"You can't go in there!" A nurse's voice from outside the room caught Dani's attention.

"Yes, I can if you step out of my path." Danny's voice growled from behind the door.

"Danny!" Dani cheered. He made it!

"Put on protective gear and-"

"Move out of the way!" Danny slammed into the room leaving a shocked nurse behind him.

One of the doctors in the room turned toward Danny. "What are you doing! Get out!"

"Shut up…" Danny mumbled as he moved over to Vlad. Dani noticed that he was holding a needle syringe. There was a label printed in Danny's sloppy handwriting. It said Ecto-Purifier.

"Stop!" The doctor got in his way. "What are you going to give him?"

"The cure, so get away." Danny motioned for him to step aside.

"I can't let you give that to my patient!" The doctor yelled. "You have no idea whether it will work or if it will make him worse."

"I ran as many tests as I could given the time I had." Danny explained. "This will cure the acne. I'm sure."

"There's no way you can know for sure!" The doctor argued.

"But I do, so I'm going to give you a choice." Danny glared at the doctor. "Get out of my way or I'll have to throw you through that mirror."

The doctor flinched. By Danny's tone, the doctor knew that the boy would follow through on his threat. Hesitantly, the doctor stepped to the side.

"Danny?" Dani asked. "Did your trip help?"

"Yes," Danny grabbed Vlad's arm and prepared to inject the cure into his arm. "It helped a hell of a lot."

After the entire cure was injected, Danny pulled the needle out and stepped back. Dani held her breath in anticipation. At first, nothing happened. There was not a change.

"No affect…" The doctor mumbled.

"Wait for it…" Danny growled.

Gasping, Dani watched as the acne on her dad's face slowly began to disappear. It was a miraculous change. In mere moments, Vlad's face was completely cleared and was now a lot less pale. The Ecto-Acne was completely gone.

"That's impossible…" The doctor muttered in shock.

"Never underestimate a Fenton." Danny smiled tiredly.

Pulling her protective helmet off, Dani let out a sob of joy. She placed herself by her father and held him tightly. "Danny…thank you."

Danny smiled. Reaching down, he ruffled her hair. Any other moment, Dani would have been angered by this action, but now she was glad for it. "You're welcome…"

The fatigue in his voice surprised Dani. Looking up, Dani commented. "You look exhausted."

"I…" Danny let out a loud yawn. "..Am…I think that I'm going to head over to the motel…You're going to stay here, right?"

"Do you even have to ask?"

Laughing lightly, Danny murmured. "No, I don't."

After the halfa had left, Dani went back embracing her father. The doctor ran some tests and decided that it was okay to take the billionaire of his sedatives. She listened to the steady heartbeat of her father as she waited for him to wake up.

Dani didn't know how long she had to wait. It could have been seconds, or it could have been hours. The time didn't matter to her. Everything was right now.

"Arg…" Vlad groaned. "What happened?"

"Dad!" Tears fell from Dani's eyes. "You're awake!"

"Yes…" Vlad groaned again. "I am. It's good to see you, baby girl…"

"Daddy…" Dani hugged her father tightly. "I was so worried…"

"I'm sorry I worried you, but…" Vlad moaned in pain. "Could you let go? You're hurting me."

"No!"

"Please?"

"Never!"

Yes, everything was back to normal.

* * *

><p>Danny sighed in relief as he made his way to the motel. Curing Vlad was a huge stress relief. He would have waited an stayed as Vlad woke up, but he was about to collapse. The adrenaline had worn off, and all Danny could think about was sleep.<p>

'Too bad I'll probably have more nightmares…' Danny mentally grumbled.

Because the hotel was only a few blocks from the hospital, Danny decided to walk. There was no use in catching a cab if it would take longer than walking to your destination. The truth was that he would prefer to just fly to the hospital, but he still couldn't use his powers, so he was still limited to human abilities.

Danny felt a wave of relief hit him as he saw the hotel. Ah sweet relief, he was almost…

"Grah!" Danny grunted in pain as his back hit the concrete. The halfa then realized that instead of being on the side of the road, he was instead in a back alley. Deciding that he was being mugged, Danny got up and prepared himself to fight.

"Who- cough! Hack! Cough!" Danny found that breathing was far more difficult. Around him was green smoke. Danny's eyes widened when he realized that he had breathed in some of that smoke.

It was then that the halfa realized what the smoke was. His vision began to blur and narrow. A ringing sound rang in his ears. Standing had suddenly become far more difficult. He had breathed in knock out gas.

Usually, that would be meaningless to the halfa. If he was in his ghost form that is. Ghosts didn't need to breath and his ecto body filtered poison quickly. His human body, despite having a light immunity, was completely vulnerable to the gas.

Knowing that fighting was no longer an option, Danny pulled his phone out. He then tried to call for help before he passed out. Unfortunately, Danny only managed to unlock the Tucker Phone before he was suddenly punched in the right side of the face.

Most of his body was numb now, so the young halfa didn't feel much pain. The force of the blow caused him not only to fall down, but also to be sent sprawling into a nearby dumpster. He didn't realize it, but his right cheek was already swelling badly.

"Master told us not to hurt him." A calm calculating female voice caught Danny's attention.

"Whatever, Shiva, that was payback for the little brat punching me at Luthor's party." The voice of Sportsmaster answered the lady known as Shiva.

"Your petty revenge means nothing to me." Shiva commented.

Danny could no longer seen anything other than blurs. Using the dumpster as support, the young inventor tried to use his phone again. He couldn't see the screen, though, so he resulted to voice command. In a whisper, Danny said. "Danny Fenton. In…initi…ate code…red…"

The phone flashed red. It was then that Danny lost consciousness. After hitting the ground, Danny's phone slid under the dumpster. Neither assultant was concerned about the phone, though. There was no possible way for Fenton to call for help, and even if he did, they would be gone before the backup arrived..

Lifting Fenton over his shoulder, Sportsmaster looked over to Lady Shiva. "Got him. Lets' go."

A second later, both kidnappers and the unconscious Fenton were gone. All that was left as evidence of the even was the Tucker Phone. Still flashing red, the phone initiated code red. A few seconds later, a message was received by all of Danny's allies who had been given communicators. They were shocked by what they saw. None had expect to see the simple message before them.

After all, it wasn't often that you received an urgent plea for help from a powerful S-rank ghost.

* * *

><p>Extra: The Undefeated Strategist's Incite<p>

"Mistress, you summoned me?" A cloaked servant knelt before his master. The figure in front of him was covered in royal purple robes, a purple headdress, and a purple veil. Her back was to him, but he knew that she could sense exactly where he was.

They were currently outside. The mistress was sitting cross legged under a blooming cherry blossom tree. The grass was lush and green. Various birds were sitting in front of the woman. They appeared normal, but the distinct green glow showed that they were ghosts.

Like a projector, light pored out of the birds eyes. The light formed into a small screen in front of the woman. Each bird showed video memories of various conversations and battles. Over half of the memories involved one of the other Ancient Six that sealed the Ghost King. The others involved newer but nevertheless powerful ghosts. Each video had one think in common, though.

"Yes…" The woman's sweet voice was a treat to the ears. "I need you to prepare my estate."

"What for Mistress?" The servant asked. He needed to know for which occasion to prepare.

"I am calling for a council of the elite." The woman explained. If she had any opinions or feelings abut this statement, her voice gave none of them away.

"Are…you certain?" The servant asked nervously. "There hasn't been such a meeting since right after the fall of the Ghost King."

"I am aware of this." The woman spoke softly. "Yet you question my judgment…Why?"

The servant trembled in fear as he felt a small Haunting Aura surround him. It was not meant to affect him badly, but it did remind him to whom he was talking . "I did not mean to question you! I want to make sure that I follow your orders correctly!"

"Hmm…" The woman seemed disappointed. Once again she was left unchallenged. "…How long will the preparations take? From what I've seen and heard this meeting needs to be soon."

"With the destructive nature of our guests… plus their individual needs… I would estimate about a month to fortify everything correctly." The servant estimated.

"Acceptable…" The woman commented. "Send a message that we will meet the eleventh of the next month…"

"Of course," The servant nodded. "I will alert what is left of the six that-"

"Not only them." The woman instructed. "Send an invitation to all of the S-rank ghosts."

"I don't…as you wish." The servant bowed.

As he was leaving, the woman's voice stopped him in his tracks. "Also, don't forget to invite the halfas. They will be needed as well…especially, that young one. He will be the key to the success of my plan."

"Yes, Mistress Vision." And with that he was gone.

Vision eyed the different birds in front of her. After Ghost King's temporary return, she had sent her visual birds to watch the affairs of both worlds. Things did not look well. The humans were in the first stages of panic, and panic was the enemy of common sense.

Turning her attention to the memories, Vision watched the significant moments in history unfold.

_"Please! Even if you think I'm a fool for asking, I need to ask anyway. Will you train me? Will you teach me, the son of Jack Fenton? Will you instruct a naïve do-gooder? Vlad, will you help me become strong so that I will not fail like this again?" Danny pleaded._

_"Your welcome, Great One! It was a pleasure to have such a great student! I am incredibly impressed by you. Your talent for combat is quite astounding! Are you sure you can't stay for a while? We could have a feast in your honor!" Frostbite said as he shook Danny's hand._

_Right as Danny was about to make contact with Colossus, the titan's shockwave went of behind Danny. Using the blast as a springboard for extra momentum, Danny punched Colossus with everything he had_.

_Torch brought up his scythe to block the attack. The broad sword met the met the scythe with a large clang. For a brief moment, everything froze. Torch and Phantom glared at each other. The scythe and sword remained locked. It was the climax of a battle at its finest. Then the scythe was cut in two. The edge of the ice broad sword dug into the right shoulder of Torch. The sword dug down deeply into the shoulder and cause green blood to fly out. Before too much ecto blood came out, though, the wound was covered a thick layer of ice._

_The first thing Nocturne saw was a mop of white hair. He then noticed the blue energy covering the hair and the body it was attached to. Finally, Nocturne realized that the should of said body was about to ram into at over 200 mph. "Spear!" Phantom cried as he rammed into Nocturne. The sleep ghost coughed out green blood as the attack forced him and Phantom toward the street below_.

_"I thank you, young hero." Pandora knelt down and held out her spear with two hands. "I wish to offer you my spear as a show of good grace between us."_

"_Please," Ghost Writer extended his hand. "Call me Scribe. You don't have to use such an old title."_

"Danny Phantom…" Vision mumbled as her cold green eyes narrowed in thought. "You shall be the one to bring us all together…Otherwise, we will all die."

* * *

><p><strong>For anyone that cares, I have set up descriptions in my profile for each of my major OCs in Obsession. Enjoy.<strong>

**For the most part, I can't view the Ghost Writer as a villain. As an aspiring writer, I would be pissed if anyone destroyed my work. I think that his revenge/lesson in the show was justified. Plus, Danny was being a jackass that episode, so...**

**I don't know what to think of Beware the Batman. That version of Alfred threw me off. I always saw him as a wise old dude. Now he's kind of a boss... I like it though.**

**Thank you for all reading and please remember to...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	13. Kidnapped

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today."

Abraham Lincoln

* * *

><p>Chapter 13: "Kidnapped"<p>

_Hello, Daniel._

Danny's attention was instantly captured by the beauty in front of him. No other woman could possible compare to her. She was perfection in flesh.

_I'm sorry that we had to invite you over using such uncouth methods._

The halfa instantly forgave the woman. There was no way that what she did was wrong. Whatever it was, it allowed him to be in her presence, and that was reward enough.

_It's just that we need your help._

With what did she need help? Did she need him to be her personal servant? Did she want him to cut off his hands in her glory? Danny would gladly do so.

_You see, a friend of mine has had a hard time with some of his inventions. In fact, a couple of thoughtless children destroyed his lab._

What!? How dare anyone do something so horrible! This woman should never be forced to deal with troubles like that!

_Will you help my friend?_

Of course!

_Good, boy…_

Danny beamed at the praise. Absolute joy pulsed through his body. He would do anything for that feeling again.

_So what I need you to do, is to take all the materials my people bring and to make them into ectoplasmic weaponry._

Oh, that's it? That sounds really easy…Wait…What? Danny's eyebrow twitched. A small sliver of coldness ran threw Danny's body.

_It should be easy for you._ The woman leaned forward to get at Danny's eye level. Danny blushed as his eyes instantly went down to the woman's generous bust. Her strapless top did nothing to hide them. _From what I heard, you are quite the little inventor._

He was? Danny couldn't really remember a lot at the moment. All that mattered was the beauty in front of him. Another wave of cold cleared Danny's mind somewhat.

_And if you do this for me, I might give you a small reward._

A shiver ran up the halfa's spine, and it wasn't because of the coldness. There was something in the woman's voice that made Danny excited. He really liked the idea of a reward.

_So tell me, can you do this for me?_

He could do that…by why was it that part of him didn't want to…The cold part was telling him that this woman was no good…

_Daniel?_

Danny was confused now. He wanted to help the woman, but at the same time he knew that he shouldn't. It would end badly.

_Are you…resisting me?_

He…didn't know. Danny looked into her eyes. Dear God, he wanted to do everything in his power to help her, but…the coldness whispered at him to stay strong.

_That shouldn't be possible, especially from a teenage boy._

She was upset! Danny didn't want her to be upset! Don't be mad, please!

_No, it's working…but only half-way._

The woman seemed to calm down a little. Danny sighed in relief.

_No wonder the perfume I gave her didn't work. It's not nearly strong enough for it to work on you. I owe Savage an apology._

Danny didn't understand what the woman was saying. His clouded mind could not interpret what the woman's words meant. Were they important?

_Sigh, well I tried. The only way for this to work is for me to be in the same room as you at all times, and no one has time for that._ _We'll just have to do this Ra's way, after all._

For some reason, the tone of the woman's voice made Danny uneasy. Like he had suddenly just missed the easy way out and was about to walk straight into trouble. Maybe he should just listen to…coldness…

_You have impressed me, Daniel. I'll make sure to keep an eye on you._

Yes! Please do! Your attention is the greatest gift anyone could receive.

_When I leave, I want you to forget everything about this conversation, even me._

Danny didn't know if it was possible to forget this woman, but he would sure try. As long as it made her happy.

_Before that…I have one small question for you about a certain weapon that was used to defeat the Ghost King…Where is it?_

"Vlad has it…"

_Oh, do tell me more…_

* * *

><p>(Saturday-March 13, 2010)<p>

Danny woke up with a his ears ringing. His head ached. He could only see blurs. In fact, the halfa was so out of it, he didn't realize that he was sleeping in a chair.

…Or that he was tied down to said chair…

"Well…" Danny mumbled as he struggled against his bonds. "This isn't good."

"That's merely a matter of perspective, Mr. Fenton." A commanding voice gained Danny's attention. "From my perspective, things are progressing quite well."

Danny groaned as he tried to clear his vision. Focusing on the voice in front of him, Danny made out what looked like a middle age man. The single light over him revealed that the man was sitting across a table from him. He had black hair with streaks of grey, long black mustache, and long black eyebrows. The man wore a regal green cloak with black clothing underneath.

What really grabbed the halfa's attention, though, was the man's demeanor. He held himself like he ruled the world, yet there was no arrogance in him. It was all confidence, and Danny found himself being a little intimidated by this man. He was dangerous, and Danny couldn't use his powers without revealing his identity.

"And from my perspective, they suck." Danny noted.

The man chuckled. "Youth these days, so blunt. Tell me, child. How is this situation so bad."

"I'm tied to a chair, drugged, and sitting across a coffee table from a strange man." Danny explained. "It seems like sucking to me…"

"Ah, but you are alive." The man smiled. "You should be thankful for that…Although that nasty welt on your face was not supposed to happen. I will have to have a word with Sportsmaster."

"So you're the one he works for…" Danny realized.

"Very astute." The man acknowledged. "Yes, I ordered your capture. You already know why…"

"I do." Danny nodded. "And there's a better chance of me making a solid gold turd than actually helping you, old man."

"Do not insult the master!" Danny felt a hand grab the back of his neck. Breathing was suddenly more difficult.

"Ubu, please stand down." The 'master' instructed. "We don't need to result to such methods…yet."

The man behind Danny grunted and let go. Walking to his master's side and into the light, Ubu gave Danny a good look at him. Ubu was bald and was wearing a sleeveless shirt, cargo pants, and combat boots. Oh, and did he mention that Ubu was built like a tank? Well, he was…

"So strangling me is off the table…" Danny panted out. "What isn't?"

"That is a good question, child." The master noted. "We can't very well hurt you. That would cripple you and make your progress less sufficient. No, we can use your heroic tendencies to our advantage…"

"What are you…" Several pictures were placed in front of Danny. Each one had a picture of a person, men, women, and children. Danny's eyes were instantly drawn to the middle one, though. A black haired boy around Dani's age was on it. He had a scar on his right eyebrow.

"These are all people that my organization has…acquired. They don't have any actual use to them. The younger ones have retrieved training, but can be replaced. You know what would be sad, though? If their lives were cut short because a boy refused to cooperate." The master gently explained.

Danny glared at the man. "You would threaten those people just to get me to cooperate."

"It's all for the greater good." The master insisted.

"Greater good for who?" Danny glared.

"The world." The master smiled.

Danny was silent.

"I'll take that as a yes." The master assumed.

"Fine…" Danny agreed. He would cooperate for now...

"Excellent!" Suddenly, the lights were turned on. They were in what seemed to be a workshop. Scrap metal and work benches were scattered across the room. There were no windows, but there was a large mirror and a single door.

"Enter!" The master called.

The door opened and revealed a woman. She was incredibly beautiful. Her dark black hair flowed down her back. The woman's dark eyes stared at Danny evaluating him. Even through the black trench coat over her red shirt and black pants, Danny could tell that she possessed an hour-glass figure.

Once again, Danny noticed the air of confidence around one of his capturers. She walked just like Valerie does. Complete self-confidence and danger rolled off her in waves. She was similar to the master, but unlike him, she didn't dim it down. She would kill him in an instant if she wanted to kill him.

"Lady Shiva, you will guard Mr. Fenton for now." The master's words struck a cord in Danny. The woman was the lady that helped kidnap him. Oh, joy…

"Yes, Great One." The woman glared at Danny.

Danny could only gulp in fear.

* * *

><p>(Monday-March 15, 2010)<p>

The first few days were wide spread panic. Everyone in contact with Danny regularly all received that the same message for help. That was alarm enough, but when Danny's Tucker phone was found under a dumpster with a bit of Danny's blood not far away…well it wasn't good.

Wulf was the first to act. He tried to sniff his friend out, but lost the trail. Whoever kidnapped Danny obviously knew what he was doing.

That was when Batman and the Justice League took notice. Several members began to look for the halfa, but none could find him. It was like Danny disappeared off the face of the earth. Batman kept the case open and active, though. He knew that whoever took Danny wanted the ecto-weaponry.

Vlad then took his turn. He offered a three million dollar reward for anyone that could save his ward. The older halfa would have went to look on his own, but he was still incredibly weak. His illness really did a number on him.

Dani also knew that Danny's other allies were constantly on the look out.

Harriet Chin kept the people aware of the missing boy. Her reports on the kidnapping kept the pressure on the police and government to keep vigilant. Dani was suddenly glad that they had a reporter on their side.

Frostbite was keeping a constant watch on the Infimap to find Danny, but couldn't use it to go to Danny. It wouldn't locate him for some reason. Frostbite had a theory that Danny being stuck in-between the planes of existence of life and death hindered the map. Either that, or someone was purposely blocking the map, but only someone of incredible power could do that.

Pandora had her servants looking for the halfa daily. She was angered that anyone would dare harm her ally. Her pride wouldn't allow for this to stand, but unfortunately there were no clues in the Ghost Zone.

Klemper, Valerie, and Dani wanted to look too, but couldn't. They had responsibilities in Amity Park. Klemper was using a disguise belt to give the illusion that Danny Phantom was still in Amity Park, and the Red Huntress couldn't scour the globe for Danny. She needed to stay and help Klemper and Dani keep the ruse.

Even Colossus and Torch were looking. Colossus wouldn't leave his rival behind apparently. His honor wouldn't allow it. Torch only wanted a rematch…or so he said. Dani could tell that he actually cared about Danny. They were friends…weird friends, but still friends, even if they wouldn't admit it.

Surprisingly, a lot of enemy ghosts were searching for the halfa as well. Most were after the reward. Some, however were more sincere. Ember seemed worried, and Skulker seemed insulted that someone got his prey before him.

Throughout this massive search, Dani felt constantly worried. Her brother was gone and most likely in trouble. She couldn't do a thing to help either. Once again, she was in a position that she couldn't help solve. All she could do was have faith that things would turn out all right.

…And she hated every minute of it…

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-March 16, 2010)<p>

"Okay, Lady Shiva." Danny looked up from the gauntlet gun on which he was working. "What's your deal?"

"Excuse me?" Shiva asked.

"You've been guarding me for days." Danny explained. "The whole time, you've been giving me this weird glad. Now, I know I can piss people off pretty easily, but I don't remember doing anything to you."

"You are planning something." Shiva simply stated. "Your body language and mind may not say that you are, but I know it."

'My mind? She can't possibly read my mind.' "How could I be planning anything other than making weapons…" Danny was interrupted as his gun sparked and let off smoke. "Crap! It happened again!"

"Like that." Shiva glared. "You've been working on that thing for days now, and yet there is not progress."

"Well, if you hadn't noticed, I'm not even fifteen yet. Plus I had my parent's schematics in front of me as I worked all my other inventions. You can't exactly ask me to be a miracle inventor. Your master seems satisfied with how my work is going." Danny pointed out as he sprayed down the gauntlet gun.

"If we go by merely your age, then you would be correct. Your progress is above satisfactory, but you are not the average fourteen year old. You're stalling for time." Shiva declared.

"Do I look like I'm smart enough to stall for time like this." Danny grunted. The smoke was still coming out of the weapon, so Danny hit it with a hammer. Miraculously, it worked, and the smoke stopped. "Ha! Violence solves nothing my ass!"

"To the untrained eye, no…" Shiva deadpanned. "But I believe this is a ruse."

"Obviously, your master believes that you are wrong." Danny looked over to the woman. "Otherwise, I would have been threatened."

"Yes, he assures me that I am merely being paranoid." Shiva did not seemed pleased by this.

"Well… I'll give you one point." Danny admitted. "I could be stalling to be rescued by the many people who are probably out there looking for me. I'm not though. This is just the best I got. Pretty bad, huh?"

"Those searching for you won't be able to find you here, and you know it." Shiva responded. "Yet you still hold yourself like that…"

"Like what?" Danny questioned.

"Like this is merely an inconvenience for you. Most would consider it the arrogance of youth, but I can see through it. You believe that you have hope." Shiva explained.

Danny laughed. "I believe I have hope, huh? This place has to be filled with ninja and assassins, right? How come you are the only one who thinks this? Is it your skills at reading people?"

"No, logically you have been trapped completely. There is no way for you to escape." Shiva noted. "That's why the master is comfortable with this situation. But I have something that he doesn't."

"And that is?" Danny inquired.

"Woman's intuition." Shiva answered coldly.

Danny laughed again. "Now that is very true." And with that, he went back to work.

'She's right, of course…' Danny thought. Danny had been planning an escape. He knew as long as he cooperated, the hostages would be safe, but there was the problem about what would happen to them if he escaped? The halfa was sure that they wouldn't be harmed if he escaped though. There would have been no point in hurting them if it didn't lead to some gain.

So, Danny had secretly made invisible duplicates to search through the hallways. He would have sent the duplicates out for help, but they could only go so far away from the original. So, The halfa settled for slowly memorizing the layout of the base. That would help when he finally escaped, but there was another problem…How would he escape without revealing his identity?

Well… he had a few ideas.

* * *

><p>(Friday-March 19, 2010)<p>

"It's been a week, Dad." Dani told her father as she hugged Cujo close to her.

"I know…" Vlad nodded as he watched the news from the living room television.

"He could be hurt…" Dani mentioned.

"I know…" Vlad mumbled.

"He could be…dead… fully dead…" Dani whispered.

"I know…" Vlad sounded very tired.

"Can't I go and look?" Dani asked. She had already asked dozens of times before, but the answer was always the same.

"No." Was Vlad's blunt answer.

"Why!?" Dani roared. Cujo jumped out of her arms in fright. "I need to help him!"

"I know, Little Badger." Vlad gave her a sympathetic look. "I feel the same way, but I wouldn't be a help to anyone as it is, and you have to stay in Amity Park. You must keep up the allusion that Fenton and Phantom have no connection other than business. Business partners would not search all over the globe alone just to find a single boy. When we get a clue, then you can go."

"I-I know…" Dani murmured. "But you know that waiting around like this isn't in my nature. I need to do something!"

"I realize this, but tell me, Danielle, what can you do?" Vlad questioned.

Dani was silent.

"That's what I thought…" Vlad sighed. "Stay patient, Danielle, and have hope. Daniel will be found and saved."

And the wait continued…

* * *

><p>"Well this a change of pace…" Danny looked over his new guard. The woman's wild black hair went down to the middle of her back. The green kimono she was wearing was shredded in some places and ended mid thigh. Unfortunately, Danny couldn't get a good look at her face because it was hidden by the mask of a smiling cat. "Where's Lady Shiva?"<p>

"She's been assigned to another mission." The woman stated. For some reason, Danny got the feeling that she was smirking at him. "I'm her replacement."

"Huh…" Danny gave her a once over. "Never said it was a bad change."

The woman chuckled. "That's the spirit."

"So…" Danny turned back to his work. To fix the problem of a power overload, he made a power source vest. Continuing to connect the vest and gauntlet gun, Danny continued what he said, "What do I call you?"

"Cheshire." The woman walked over to examine his work.

"Like in Alice in Wonderland…" Danny noted.

"Exactly." Cheshire chuckled.

"You keep laughing at me…" Danny frowned. "Why? Am I that pathetic?"

"No, no…" Cheshire cheerily stated as she leaned against the edge of the table. "We just have something in common, and I'm just laughing at the coincidence of it all."

"What do we have in common?" Danny questioned.

"An extreme dislike of Sportsmaster." Cheshire explained.

"Ah, that." Danny paused. "It's no secret as to why I hate him, and I know better than to ask you. You won't tell me…"

"Smart boy." Cheshire patted him on the head.

"Stop that!" Danny groaned. Why did everyone like to mess with his hair?

Cheshire just laughed at him.

Huffing, Danny said. "There is a saying for this, right? The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"Then friends we shall be." Cheshire noted.

"To an extent, right?" Danny noted. "I am still trapped like an animal."

"Well, if you ever get out, we should grab a cup of coffee." Cheshire teased.

"We both know, that you're master won't let be go in one piece." Danny mumbled.

"You've been completely cooperative." Cheshire suggested. "That gains some points from the Great One. When you're done, he'll probably let you leave."

"You're a lot different from Shiva." Danny noted. "She told me that I was going to die."

"Shiva is a cold woman." Cheshire explained. "But not a bad one. She just always looks at the worse possible scenario. I would like to at the best scenario."

"Best scenario…huh? That hasn't happened to me in a while." Danny mumbled.

"There's always a chance." Cheshire suggested.

Nodding, Danny turned back to work. In appearance, he was making great progress, but the truth was that he was stalling. He could have finished this weapon already if he wanted to. The problem was that once he finished with this weapon, it would disappear. It would be shipped off, studied, and reproduced hundreds of times.

He couldn't let that happen. So he was not only going purposely slow, but adding as much complicated features to the weapon as possible. These…shadow guys seemed pleased by all that was going into the weapon, so they let him work. This did give him more time, but the problem was that if he couldn't escape before the time he finished the weapon…These kidnappers would have a incredibly dangerous weapon on their hands.

Luckily, his duplicates helped him memorize the entire layout of the base in which he was trapped. When he decided to make a break for it, he would be able to take the quickest pat to the outside. There was still a problem, though. The base was in the middle of the ocean.

Luckily, they weren't underwater, but they were still in the middle of nowhere. No matter how hard he tried, Danny couldn't figure out the coordinates. Getting close enough to a map or computer would give away Danny's duplicates. When he got out, Danny would have to not only have to figure out where he was, but he would also have to get a boat or helicopter to get to land. That…would difficult.

It was looking more and more like he would need to be rescued. Unfortunately, no one knew where he was. They were looking, for sure, but how were they supposed to find him in the middle of an ocean?

'I'm going to have to send a signal.' Danny thought with a grimace.

* * *

><p>(Sunday-March 21, 2010)<p>

"Hey, Dani," Red Huntress smiled at the girl as they flew over the town. "How you holding up?"

"You asked me that everyday for the past week…" Spirit mumbled. "Answer's still the same."

Valerie sighed. "I know. It's hard staying and doing nothing. At least the ghost attacks have popped up every now and then to keep us distracted."

"None of the big hitters, though." Spirit murmured.

"Yeah…" Red Huntress agreed.

"Are you two still complaining about that?" Klemper's voice came out of what appeared to be Danny Phantom. "You should be grateful that no big ghost attacks have happened while Danny isn't here."

"Are you saying that we couldn't handle it?" Red Huntress growled.

"What? No, I mean yes, err…" Klemper stuttered. "I just mean that it would be pretty obvious that I'm not Danny if anyone saw me fight. I can't use duplicates, his fighting style, or his Ghostly Wail…"

"Well…that's true." Spirit mumbled.

"Hey, girls!" A voice accompanied with the roar of a motorcycle called out to them.

All three of the heroes (Klemper mumbling something about being left out) turned to the voice to see Johnny 13. He looked aggravated. "Have you found Phantom, yet? I need to blow off some steam…"

"No…" Spirit growled.

"Great, just great." Johnny mumbled. "I don't suppose you want to fight one on one?"

"You mean one on two." Klemper corrected. "You have your shadow."

"He's pat of me…" Johnny frowned. "It's like when the kid uses Duplicates."

"This is not a good week for this, ghost." Red Huntress growled.

Johnny placed his hands up defensively. "Fine. Fine. Just wanted a distraction. Cool it, toots."

"Don't call me toots…" Red Huntress raised her gun dangerously.

"Whatever." Johnny groaned. "First Kitty gets all mad at my bike, now this. Woman are way to complicated…What do you and Phantom usually do when you have a lover's spat?"

"What?" Valerie gasped. "Were not…"

"Or maybe I should ask Ember?" Johnny grinned. "Or that human chick he hangs out with. Man…how come he gets away with it when he flirts with girls…"

"Danny doesn't really have a serious girlfriend." Klemper noted. "You do…and a possessive one at that. I wouldn't want to mess with her."

"Yeah…" Johnny rolled his eyes. "Definitely not…well, great. I'll just have to find someone else to help get the fight off my mind. Maybe some of the local girls can help…"

With that, he left. Both Spirit and Red Huntress glared at him. "Jerk."

Klemper sighed. "Why do I feel that this isn't the last we'll hear of this…"

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-March 24, 2010)<p>

"Looks like that welt finally healed all the way…" Cheshire noted as she looked at Danny's face.

Danny nodded. Luckily, his powers responded to the situation and didn't heal instantly. Danny was grateful for that. He didn't want to draw any more attention to himself. Good thing that ghost powers were powered by emotions.

The two were currently waiting for the so called master. Today was an inspection of all of Danny's progress. The halfa was actually glad for this. It was the chance to finally put his plan into action…

The door opened and revealed Ubu. The tank of a man held the door open as two woman entered the room. One was Lady Shiva, but Danny didn't recognize the other one. This woman appeared to have Arabian heritage. She had high cheekbones, green eyes, and long dark hair. Danny noticed that the woman's top was incredibly revealing…

'Why do all the stunningly beautiful woman in the world wear things like that? Are just trying to distract me…' Danny lamented the death of modesty.

Next, the master entered. Cheshire immediately bowed to the man. Ubu glared at Danny to do the same, but the halfa just glared back. He wasn't about to bow to his kidnapper.

"Good day, Mr. Fenton." The master grinned. "How have you been?"

"Still being held against my will, Mr. Kidnapper." Danny returned to his most basic weapon. Sarcasm.

Ubu, Cheshire, and Lady Shiva seemed to be insulted by Danny's rudeness. The other two people in the room seemed amused, however. The master smiled, and the other woman exhaled through her nose loudly as if she was stopping a laugh.

Looking between the two, Danny noticed that the woman and the master had a similar appearance. 'They might be related.'

"Apologize to the master!" Ubu demanded threateningly.

"It's alright, Ubu. I find his attitude endearing." The master explained. "After all, I have never given him a name to call me." Turning to Danny, he added. "You may call me Henri Ducard."

'Yeah, like that's really his name…' "Alright, Mr. Ducard." Danny gestured to his invention. "This is the Fenton Gatling Armor. The gatling arm gun goes on your left arm. This vest is both the power source and protective armor. To control the weapon, you need to wear the helmet. Plus, I've added a side arm slot on the side."

"Hmm…" Henri Ducard (Yeah, right…) examined the weapon.

"If you want, I could give you a small demonstration of how it will work…" Danny eyed the three assassins in the room. "As long as I don't get my neck snapped when I put it on…"

Cheshire and Ubu gave their master an affirmative nod. They would be ready to step in if Danny tried something. After looking around the room, Henri Duncard nodded. "That would be beneficial."

"Master, I don't believe this is a good idea." Shiva glared at Danny.

"Nonsense, Shiva, Mr. Fenton is aware of his situation." Henri Duncard shrugged off her concern. "Go ahead, Mr. Fenton."

Danny put on the vest first. The simple metal vest contained a double cylinder power source on its back and a rectangular red plate on the front. The gauntlet gatling gun connected to the vest from the shoulder. It contained protective plating all the way down to the forearm. The gatling gun ran from the forearm and cover his hand with the multiple holed gun.

Finally, the black helmet completely covered the head. There was a slot in the front to allow Danny to see. On the back, were tubes that connected to the power source.

Turning on the power source, Danny readied himself for the weapon to activate. Green energy pulsed from the power source in veins. The veins ran up the too to the helmet and down the arm to the gatling gun.

"The helmet allows you to monitor how much of the power by healing the power source through the tube. The light humming will become more erratic as the energy runs out. When everything is working well and you can hear a gentle hum, the gatling gun can do this." Danny turned the weapon to a large scrap of metal that Danny place along the wall for this demonstration.

The gatling gun hummed and clicked as it activated. Spinning rapidly, the gun sent out dozens of ecto-shots out in mere seconds. After a few seconds of fire, Danny stopped the weapon with a click. The thick metal now looked like swish cheese.

"Most impressive." Henri Ducard noted. "Is this the final product?"

"No," Danny shook his head. "I'm still finishing the extra side arm. Plus, I need work on keeping the gun from jamming, and work on the energy transfer. It'll just be a few more days before I'm finished."

Everyone in the room seemed satisfied with both the demonstration and the news. Of course, none of them were actually smiling except the master…maybe Cheshire was, Danny couldn't tell….Even Lady Shiva had nothing to say about this development.

"Very good." Henri Duncard seemed pleased. "I will be back in a few days time."

Danny nodded and remained silent as his guests piled out of the room. Slowly, the assassins left until Ubu was the only one left. With a nod of satisfaction directed at Danny, Ubu closed the door behind them.

"Well done." Cheshire complemented him. "I've rarely seen the Great One looking so pleased. He must be very impressed with you."

Danny absentmindedly nodded. He didn't really care if this Henri Ducard was impressed. All Danny cared about was that the demonstration went off with out a hitch. His plan worked.

The only reason he wanted to do the demonstration was to activate the weapon without any consequences. If he started shooting randomly at any other time, he would have been stopped or had his weapon searched. It was the perfect time to activate the power source and use it to power the signal device long enough for it to send out powerful enough signal.

The signal device sent a distinct signal out to of the base. Unlike every other signal or wave sent around the world, this one contained distinct ectoplasmic properties. By now, both his family and the Batman was aware of the location of the signal and deduced that it was Danny who sent the distress signal.

Smiling Danny thought, 'All according to plan…'

* * *

><p>Dani sighed as she worked on her homework. In her terrible mood, she was having a hard time focusing on anything lately. Danny's disappearance and the disaster from earlier in the week was constantly on her mind. Luckily, her teachers understood, but it didn't change how badly she was doing in school lately…<p>

It didn't help that the girl ghosts decided to start the biggest ghost attack in weeks. Kitty and Spectra showed up and started to terrorize people and make men disappear literally. Dealing with them wasn't all that difficult. Kitty's powers didn't affect women, and both Red Huntress and Spirit were far too agitated to let Spectra's words get to them. Add in Klemper adding assistance from a safe distance while disguised as Danny and the element of surprise…well, it was more of the two ghost hunters letting out seem more than anything.

Luckily, Ember decided not to interfere. She was there as emotional support for Kitty, but she didn't have much desire to rampage. Dani was glad for that. If Ember was thrown into the equation, the outcome would have been completely different.

Then added in what happened yesterday…Dani bowed her head in shame. It was all her fault. She should have remembered to…

"Danielle!" Vlad's voice snapped Dani out of her trance.

"Yeah, Dad?" Dani looked up from her spot at the kitchen table.

"Great news!" Vlad shouted as he ran into the room. The illness and stress of Danny's kidnapping had its effect on the older halfa. He looked years older than before. "I think I finally have a lead on Daniel."

Dani jumped up from her sitting position. "Really!?"

"Yes!" Vlad nodded. "Come look at what I found."

Running after her dad, Dani could only think. 'Finally…something goes right…'

* * *

><p>(Thursday-March 25, 2010)<p>

Danny was on edge all morning, and it showed. He was waiting for something to happen, anything really. The distress signal he sent yesterday had to work. It just had to…

"You alright?" Cheshire asked. "You look tense."

"I, uh, I'm kind of worried that I won't get this done in time." Danny lied.

"Well, the Great One might show lenience. You have cooperated very-" Cheshire stopped mid-sentence.

A red light flashed constantly. The sound of a loud siren rang in their ears. There was an emergency going happening, and it was just what Danny was waiting.

The halfa felt a grin form on his face. Luckily, Cheshire had turned away from him. She was holding the area around her ear. "This is Cheshire! What's happening?"

Danny took this opportunity to silently put his armor on over his clothes. The armor fit him like a glove. Turning on the power source, Danny heard the comforting hum of his weapon.

"It's who?" Cheshire questioned over the loud siren. "Okay…I need to stay and guard the prison-Ah!"

Cheshire felt pain as a blast of ectoplasm hit the middle of her spine. Collapsing, the assassin turned to Danny. She saw that he was holding the ecto-gun he had been working on in his right hand. "You…"

"Yeah, I've had everything working perfectly for days now." Danny explained. "I was just stalling for time. Looks like it paid off."

Cheshire merely glared, although Danny couldn't see it. Shiva was right. The boy had been planning something. They had just underestimated him…

Holstering the ecto gun in its holster on the side of the vest, Danny walked around Cheshire. He then pulled of the red rectangle plate on the front of the vest to reveal the green Fenton symbol.

The last thing Cheshire heard before she passed out was, "Sorry, Cheshire. I'm not being a good friend, but there should be more to the saying. It should say, 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend…while it's convenient'."

* * *

><p>Using his duplicates' memories, Danny quickly went down the corridor to the exit to the surface. This base was what appeared to be an old oil drill. Perfect place to hide out…<p>

"There he is!" A man in a black ninja outfit yelled to his group of companions. They must have been alerted when Cheshire was suddenly cut off.

Normally, Danny wouldn't have been able to stand a chance in his human form. This time, though, Danny had a gatling gun attached to his arm. Plus the ninja were down a narrow corridor from him. It was really no contest.

Lifting up his gatling gun, Danny shot into the group. The power had been amped down so it wouldn't kill anyone. That didn't change the fact that the ninja would have a lot of injuries and broken bones after they were all mowed down by Danny's weapon.

It took merely a few seconds for the ninja to be stopped completely. Danny felt a wave of pride hit him. A weapon that he built completely on his own did this.

Thinking back, Danny realized how similar this situation was to others. Almost all of his greatest achievements happened during the heat of battle. Almost all of his powers were unlocked because of stress. It was a fact, Danny thrived under pressure.

"I knew this would happen." Lady Shiva walked down the corridor in front of Danny.

"Maybe there was something to your woman's intuition." Danny acknowledged as he raised his gatling gun.

Shiva stopped. "It's dangerous to point guns, little boy."

"It's more dangerous to have the gun pointed at you…" Danny drew his pistol and pointed down the other side of the hallway. "Isn't that right, Sportsmaster?"

Sportsmaster laughed. "I agree with you there, kid."

"Well…" Danny looked back and forth between the assassins. "This looks familiar. This time, though, I'm armed and ready to go."

"It's two on one." Shiva pointed out. "You can't win."

"I don't have to win." Danny smiled under his helmet. "I have to stall until my rescuers arrive."

"By the time they get here…" Sportsmaster cracked his knuckles. "You won't be alive anymore, brat."

"Bring it on."

* * *

><p>Spirit stayed invisible as she flew over the oil drill base. Klemper had already flown inside and was looking for Danny invisibly. Her dad was busy destroying all the equipment by staging a fire.<p>

After finding the distress signal from Danny, both her dad and Batman planned an assault to the base. Batman agreed to allow the ghosts to start the attack with the main assault force. If need be, more back up would be waiting after the initial strike.

Dani had asked why it was that Batman knew her father's secret as a half-ghost. Apparently, he already knew her identity because of Danny, and she had called Plasmius dad several times during the Nocturne Crisis. Dani had felt ashamed by her mistake, but Vlad assured her that it was only a matter of time before Batman learned about his secret.

Dani knew that he was lying, though…

Vlad had told her to remain hidden during the first part of the battle while Cujo helped on the ground. Right now, her job was to be a support to the main assault force. Said assault force was actually two people. The two people affiliated to the Justice League that were closest to this base.

"Ha!" Aqualad yelled as he struck down one of the ninja with his water-bearer hammer.

Yes, the main assault force was Aquaman and Aqualad.

Aquaman did a spinning kick on one of the ninja and yelled. "Kaldur, make sure to keep them distracted! More Leaguers are on their way!"

"Yes, my king!" Aqualad nodded as he blocked the katana attack from a ninja.

Spirit flew above them and added support. Luckily, they knew she was there. Otherwise, it would be very confusing for them.

"The air support is appreciated!" Aqualad yelled.

Spirit beamed. It was nice to appreciated.

In all, Spirit was extremely excited to finally be able to help Danny. She hadn't been able to sleep at all the night before as they prepared for the attack. Soon, she would have her brother back.

Soon, everything would be right again.

* * *

><p>The sound of Danny's gatling gun being fired rang throughout the hall. Lady Shiva temporarily took refuge in a nearby room to avoid the ecto-blasts. This made the fight one on one for a few seconds…<p>

"Raw!" Sportsmaster swung his javelin staff at the halfa's head.

Danny blocked the strike with his gatling gun. He then tried to use his pistol to shoot Sportsmaster in the leg. The assassin skillfully diverted the direction of the blast by striking the gun to the side.

Sliding back, Danny raised his gatling gun in order to blast the assassin back. Sportsmaster ducked under the blasts, though. He then brought his bow staff up to strike Danny's helmeted head.

"Gaw!" Danny stumbled back. He was about to retaliate when Lady Shiva came up behind him and tripped him by doing a low sweep.

Grunting as his back his the floor, Danny fired both his guns at the assassins and caused them to jump backwards.

After he got back up, Danny was forced to block projectiles with his gatling gun after the projectiles were thrown by Sportsmaster. This left an opening for Danny, though.

A powerful side kick landed on his unprotected back. Stumbling, Danny turned only to be punched in the head by Shiva. A second and third strike managed to deeply dent the metal helmet before Danny was able to use his pistol to blast Shiva back.

Knowing that Sportsmaster was right behind him, Danny turned and swung his gatling gun at the assassin. Sportsmaster managed to block the blow with his javelin staff, but was sent flying into the wall. His back hit the wall with a thud, and he slid down the wall into a kneeling position.

Danny groaned. Even with the helmet on, Danny felt pain from the blows. Not only that, the metal was twisted and felt uncomfortable on Danny's head now. Luckily, he could still see straight, but this seemed like a losing battle.

"Well, what do you know." Sportsmaster chuckled as he stood. "The kid actually knows how to fight. I thought he just knew how to shoot."

"The armor and narrow corridor are the only reasons he's holding his own." Shiva noted as she shook of the blast. "If not, he would already be unconscious."

It was true. Danny only really knew how to fight with his powers. He had some hand to hand experience, but these were master martial artists. He didn't stand much of a chance in this situation.

The halfa could make an invisible duplicate to help, but it would significantly weaken him in his human form. Danny could barely keep up as it was. If his reaction time was cut down by half, he would be unconscious in seconds.

"Gasp!" A blue wisp came out of Danny's mouth. Oh...that was either really good or really bad.

"Let's end this quick.." Sportsmaster popped his neck. "I'm getting bored…"

"That's my line!" A person that appeared to be Danny Phantom fazed through the wall and knocked Sportsmaster into the other wall. "A two on one fight is so boring. Let's make it even!"

'Really good, then.' Danny smirked.

* * *

><p>Spirit smiled as she blasted away the opposition. The whole place was swarming with ninja. It was a dream come true!<p>

…Spirit had very strange dreams…

"Spirit!" Plasmius yelled as he joined her daughter. "I cut off their communication and destroyed all their weapons!"

"That's good!" Spirit shouted as she sent an arc of energy at a group of ninja assassins.

"How long has Captain Marvel been here?" Plasmius questioned as he too started to attack the opposition.

"Only a few seconds!" Spirit sent a glance at the large hero. "Shouldn't you go help Danny?"

"Almost all the guards are out here!" Vlad exclaimed he fazed through some shuriken. "The rest can be handled by Danny and Klemper!"

"Noted!" Spirit drop kicked a ninja into the water, but was forced to turn intangible as two other ninja attacked her. "Cujo! Toss!"

The dog was currently smashing his way through troops. At his master's command, Cujo grabbed one of the troops by his shirt and tossed him into the air. Said troop was stopped mid-air by Dani's fist.

"Good boy!" Cujo beamed at the praise.

Chop! Swish! Chop! Swish! Chop! Swish!

"Helicopter!" Aqualad shouted.

"I got it!" Spirit exclaimed in glee as she flew up to the helicopter. She turned intangible just as the men in the air vehicle started to shoot at her. Fazing into the helicopter, Spirit overshadowed the pilot. The halfa girl did the first thing she could think of…crash the helicopter into the ocean.

After bailing at the last minute, Spirit watched as the helicopter sank and the three men from the vehicle floated helplessly.

"I love my job!" Spirit yelled.

* * *

><p>(Play: Frontline by Plillar)<p>

"A two on one fight is so boring. Let's make it even!" The Phantom imposter shouted as blue energy surrounded him.

Danny glanced down to the fake Phantom's waist. Around the ghost's waist was a disguise belt. Not only that, it was the disguise belt that Danny usually used to make sure no one learned his secret.

That meant that this ghost was Klemper.

"Bout time you arrived, Phantom." Danny stated. "I was beginning to think that you'd never come."

"Well., you know…" Klemper Phantom joked. "The hero always arrives fashionably late."

"I wish I knew that earlier!" Danny complained.

"Now you only have two wishes left!" Klemper Phantom said in a pirate voice.

"This is beginning to get annoying." Shiva noted.

"I agree." Sportsmaster nodded. "Fighting two brats is just obnoxious."

"That's my job!" Klemper Phantom grinned. "To annoy the villains."

"What about protecting the peace?" Danny asked.

"That too!"

Sportsmaster growled. "You're ignoring us…"

"Don't let them get to you, Sportsmaster." Shiva stated. "That's their plan."

"Do we really look like we have a plan?" Danny questioned.

"No, let's keep it that way!" Sportsmaster yelled as he rushed and aimed his javelin staff at Klemper Phantom's head.

The strike hit Klemper Phantom and caused him to stumble. Danny then used this opportunity to use his pistol to shoot Sportsmaster in the shoulder. The blast hit the assassin, but Danny didn't have time to revel in this small victory.

Pain ran down his leg as he felt Lady Shiva's roundhouse kick hit his right thigh. Falling to one knee, Danny looked up to Shiva about to axe kick him and most likely knock him out. Fortunately, Klemper Phantom blocked the kick.

Using his ice powers, Klemper Phantom pushed the female assassin back and froze the top of the floor. Even a master martial artist like Shiva couldn't stop herself from sliding down the hall. With her out of the way, both Danny and Klemper Phantom turned their attention to Sportsmaster.

They were too slow, however. Sportsmaster master had thrown his javelin. When the staff was right in front of them, the javelin exploded and caused the two boys to be sent flying into opposite walls. Sportsmaster then hit Danny in the head with his hammer ball and chain.

The force of the blow caused Danny's helmet to come off and shatter. In his daze, Danny let his pistol slip through his fingers and slide a few feet away. Trying to raise his gatling gun to protect himself, Danny groaned when Sportsmaster stomped down on Danny's arm viciously.

"Say goodnight, brat." Sportsmaster brought his hammer up to strike Danny in the head.

"Goodnight, brat." Danny smirked.

"Gah!" Sportsmaster yelled as Klemper Phantom blasted him into the wall. Klemper Phantom didn't stop there, though. The ice ghost continued to freeze the assassin until all that was unfrozen was his head.

This victory was short lived, though. Just as Danny was about to stand up, Lady Shiva attacked Klemper Phantom with several hard blows and kicks. Each strike hit with devastating force. It was then that that Shiva grappled Klemper Phantom and sent knee strikes to the ice ghost. All the while, Danny had been struggling to get up. Luckily, he could now use his healing powers to make his leg work again. When he was finally to his feat, Danny swung his gun at the two fighters as hard as he could.

Seeing this, Klemper quickly turned himself intangible. Shiva's knee strike passed right through the ice ghost. This missed blow and the ice on the ground caused Shiva to momentarily become off balanced. This was all the time Danny needed, though.

The gatling gun struck Shiva point blank in the head. The force of the blow caused Shiva to slide back. Instantly putting herself into a defensive stance, Shiva was surprised when she saw Danny aiming his gun at her.

"Who needs hope when I've got ammo." Danny smiled and activated the gatling gun. Unable to dodge because of her injuries and the ice, Shiva was hit by several blasts of ectoplasm. The assassin was knocked out in an instant.

Stopping, Danny looked over to his friend and at himself. They were both injured, tired, and bleeding…There was only one response to this situation.

"Hahahaha!" Danny and Klemper Phantom laughed.

Catching his breath, Danny added as hi picked up his pistol. "Ha…pant…thanks for the assist…"

"No prob…" Klemper Phantom grinned.

"Well done…" Henri Ducard's voice gained their attention. "You managed to take down two great assassins. Granted, you had ectoplasmic weapons, powers, great teamwork, the element of surprise, and their underestimating you, but still..."

Both guys instantly turned and prepared to defend themselves. Down the corridor from them was Danny's kidnapper along with his heavy Ubu. Danny knew that his weapon was almost out of energy, and that his friend was worn and tired from the fight. They had barely won before, but now...they had no chance. "Crap…"

"Do not worry," Henri Ducard smiled. "You are now allowed to leave."

"What?" Danny questioned in shock. "All this trouble and you're just letting me go?"

"Yes, I have already gotten what I wanted." Henri Ducard smiled.

"But I have the weapon on me…" Danny was still pointing the gun at the head assassin.

"What makes you think that the weapon was my goal?" Henri Ducard smiled. "Your weapon was just a bonus. One that has proved to be too much trouble for the small profit it would provide."

"Then…" Danny questioned. "What was your goal?"

"You'll find out soon enough…" With that, smoke filled the entire corridor. Both Danny and Klemper Phantom readied themselves for a fight. Yet, no fight came. They were left completely untouched.

After a few moments of silence, the smoke began to dissipate. When the smoke was finally gone, so was everyone else in the room. Both Sportsmaster and Shiva had disappeared along with the master.

"Come one…" Danny addressed his friend. "Let's get out of here…"

* * *

><p>Spirit sighed contently. The battle was over. Most of the ninja were unconscious, and the rest of the ninja had already fled. It was a complete victory.<p>

"Wow…" Captain Marvel looked around the base. "That was a little too easy…"

"I agree." Aquaman nodded. "We did not face any of their elite

"Where is Fenton?" Aqualad asked. "If they already moved him, then that would explain why they left. Fighting us would be pointless."

"No!" Spirit shook her head. "Phantom went down to make sure that Da-Fenton was safe."

"Then why haven't they come to the surface?" Plasmius asked.

"We were a little busy…" Danny sad as Klemper Phantom fazed him to the surface.

"Danny!" Spirit cried. "You're okay!"

"Of course I'm okay, Spirit." Klemper Phantom acted as if Spirit was addressing him. "It would take more than this to keep me down…"

"Mr. Fenton," Aquaman addressed Danny. "Did they harm you?"

"No." Danny shrugged. "I was cooperative, these injuries are from the fight up here. They had no need to hurt me before that. I was making a weapon for them."

"We can see that…" Aqualad examined the gatling gun. "You used that against the ones below?"

"Yeah, don't worry, it was powered down so nothing was fatal." Danny explained.

All the heroes nodded. From what they heard about Luthor's holiday party, Danny didn't like to kill. If he did, they doubted that he would be on such…non-aggressive terms with Batman.

"Anyway, I'm glad that we got you out safely." Klemper Phantom added. "I bet you're family will be relieved."

"Yeah, I'm ready to go home." Danny smiled tiredly, then he added. "I didn't miss anything while I was gone did I?"

Silence was his answer.

"That's never a good sign." Danny observed.

* * *

><p>(Friday-March 26, 2010)<p>

It was gone.

It was completely gone.

All that was left was a bunch of rubble.

Danny felt numb as he stared at the broken Fenton Works sign. His family's old home was destroyed. The halfa now knew what Henri Ducard meant by his true goal. He wanted to rob Fenton Works.

"When?" Danny asked.

"The other day." Dani stated. "It was a shock. The entire place just…collapsed."

"We were so distracted by your disappearance, we didn't even notice as they robbed Fenton Works until…this happened." Vlad explained.

"How? The defense systems…" Danny mumbled hopelessly.

"I… turned them off during the Nocturne Crisis." Dani shamefully explained. "I forgot to turn them back on…I was just so stressed. I didn't think about it. I'm sorry, Danny."

"It's okay…" Danny murmured as he walked over the rubble. "They got everything?"

"I checked intangibly. Everything that could be moved was taken. They destroyed the rest." Vlad sadly noted.

"I see…" Danny knelt down and picked up half a brick.

They were all silent for a moment. This was the first time that they had ever felt like this. It felt like a complete and total loss…

"Danny, I know that…" Dani stopped when she felt her dad lay a hand on her shoulder. He shook his head. Now was not the time…

Drip…

Something fell down Danny's arm. It looked like a red liquid. Looking at his arm, Dani was shocked by what she saw. Danny was gripping the brick so hard that the jagged edges had cut into his skin. Blood was running down his trembling arm and down to the ground.

Dani lowered her eyes. Her throat felt dry. No words could be formed.

"They dare attack this place. This was a monument to their memory…" Danny growled. "Henri Ducard…I don't know who you are or who you had do this, but I promise you this…I will find him, and I will make him pay…"

* * *

><p>Omake<p>

(Sunday-March 21, 2010)

"Glad for your help." Red Huntress sarcastically remarked to the fire ghost.

"Hey!" Ember snapped. "Be glad that I didn't help Kitty and Spectra. They're more my friends than you are!"

"I could tell." RH rolled her eyes. "You didn't even try to stop them. You're lucky that we managed to stop them and make them return all the guys."

"In their defense, those guys were being a bunch of idiots." Ember remarked.

"That's what they do." RH stated. "They're guys. They're supposed to act like idiots."

"Some more than others." Ember mumbled.

"Hey!" A voice caught their attention. "You're the hero Red Huntress, and you're the pop star Ember McLain!"

The two girls turned and were instantly put into a worse mood. The one approaching them was Jenifer. The regular human girl Danny hung around was right in front of them.

"It's so great to meet you. I'm a big fan…what? Is there something on my face?" Jenifer was taken back by their glares.

"Yes," Both girls glared at Jenifer.

"What?" Jenifer raised an eyebrow.

"Oh no…" Spirit mumbled.

"What's happening." Klemper Phantom asked.

"A three way cat fight…" Spirit answered.

"Oh…I'll get the popcorn." Klemper Phantom noted.

"What is wrong with you two!?" Jenifer yelled. "I never met you before, and you're acting like I'm the devil!"

"Might as well be…" Ember mumbled.

"Like you're one to talk, hot head." RH remarked.

"Oh really, you fire hydrant…" Ember growled.

"You two are freaking nuts!" Jenifer exclaimed.

"Says the nobody!" Ember glared.

"Doesn't this seem a little cliché?" Spirit asked.

"You mean teenage girls fighting over a guy?" Klemper Phantom asked. "Oh completely, but to be fair, if it were three guys fighting over one girl, it would probably be even worse than this. There would be a lot more punching and kicking happening."

"Oops…" Spirit's eye's widened as the girls started to fight. There was a lot of hair pulling and clothes tearing. "Spoke too soon. Oh! That's going to hurt tomorrow!"

"Does Jenifer even know why she's fighting?" Klemper Phantom questioned.

"Probably not, but who needs to know why they're fighting?" Spirit grinned. "I sure don't."

With that, the halfa joined the fray. From his position, Klemper Phantom sat and watched as the girls fought.

"…I'm sure glad that I brought this video camera…"

* * *

><p><strong>A note to every anonymous reviewers. I like any and all reviews that aren't flames, but if you want to get in contact with me or have me P.M. you to answer a question, then you're going to have to sign in. By the way, happy birthday coldblue.<strong>

**To anyone that cares, I wrote a Harry Potter one-shot called Relief. If anyone cares, go check it out...and yes this is advertisement. So sue me...second thought, don't sue me. I don't have the money for that...**

**Thank you all for reading and please remember to...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	14. Chaos

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, Nor hell a fury like a woman scorned."

William Congreve

* * *

><p>Chapter 14: "Chaos"<p>

(Tuesday-April 6, 2010)

"Are you okay Danny? It must not be easy dealing with all that happened." Jennifer asked the boy. The two were currently in the park. The spring weather was going strong, so the two friends decided to enjoy the nice weather.

"I'm not really doing well with that…" Danny admitted as he sat below the oak tree. "The whole destruction of Fenton Works is still a sore wound…"

"Do you have any leads on who did it?" Leaning back into the tree, Jenifer questioned the other teen. Because of the warmer weather, she decided to wear a simple white blouse and light jeans.

"I know who ordered it." Danny nodded.

"You…you do?" Jenifer raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, he's…." Danny thought for a moment. He didn't know if he should tell her. Batman had already told Danny that the head of the League of Shadows wasn't well known to the public. Of course, what was the harm of telling her a simple name? "His name's Ra's Al Ghul. Apparently, he leads some sort of assassin organization."

"Oh…" Jenifer let out a breath of relief. Danny thought this was weird, but ruled it off as her being relieved that Danny had some sort of lead. "Is he the guy that kidnapped you?"

"Yeah, but I don't really care about him, at least not right now. I care about the person that actually destroyed Fenton Works." Danny glared up at the clouds.

"I'm sure you'll find him." Jenifer encouraged.

"Oh, I'll find her eventually…." Danny mumbled.

"What?" Jenifer was surprised by his words.

"Oh, It's nothing. Danielle has been playing pranks to try and cheer me up. In response, I must find her and prank her back." Danny smoothly lied.

"Oh…Okay…" Jenifer relaxed again.

"How's your spring break going?" Danny asked. He was eager to change the subject.

"Good!" Jenifer smiled. "The breaks are always better when you don't dread going back to school."

"Really?" Danny inquired. "I wouldn't know."

"Yeah," Jenifer nodded. "The atmosphere in school has really mellowed out since the pageant."

"It has?" Danny felt the need to laugh. "Are you talking about the same Casper High?"

"I am." Jenifer smiled. "The A-listers have really toned back the bullying and arrogance. It's still there, but not near as bad as before. I guess your talk with Dash and Phantom's talk with the princess really stuck home."

"Well…" Danny leaned back and enjoyed the gentle breeze. "That's great to hear…"

It was then that the two friends just sat back and enjoyed the nice day. The peace allowed Danny some time to think about Jenifer's words. Apparently, his words had deeply affected the A-listers. It was nice to know that he did some good. It was nothing in comparison to his many failures, but it was still a nice victory.

Sighing, Danny tried to relax and enjoy this small victory. Right now, he didn't want to focus on ghosts, ectoplasmic weapons, and especially the destruction of Fenton Works. For once, the halfa wanted to relax and act normal. He wanted to keep this illusion for more than five minutes.

"Gasp!" A blue wisp came out of Danny's mouth.

"Beware!"

…Damn, that didn't last long…

"Isn't that the Crate Creep guy?" Jenifer pointed to the floating ghost.

"Crape Creep? No! I am the Box Ghost!" The Box Ghost yelled.

'How many times can this idiot try and attack the city?' Danny mentally groaned. He was sick of this. 'Even Skulker limits his hunt attempts to once a week…'

Sadly, what Danny thought was true. The Box Ghost had already attacked seven times that day. Fortunately, his attacks were at worst a minor annoyance. The attacks were so pathetic that the ghost hunters decided to just plain ignore the Box Ghost. He really wasn't causing any harm.

"Behold!" The Box Ghost shouted as a small crowd appeared around him. "The lunch box of fear!"

It was then that a thermos was flung out of the box. As it landed and rolled on the ground, Danny had to fight back a laugh. It appeared as if the Box Ghost was bringing his jail. He must really be losing confidence.

"And now…" The Box Ghost snarled. "Taste your multigrained doom!"

Hundreds of sandwiches flew out of the box. They spread all across the park. Danny expected the sandwiches to explode, but instead they did nothing. They were regular sandwiches.

…Idiot…

"Look! That caterer brought free lunch for everyone." One lady yelled as she grabbed a sandwich out of the air. The park was then filled with cheers as the people went to grab their free food.

"No, no, I am no caterer!" The Box Ghost cried. "My sandwiches are very high in calories! They will totally clog your arteries!"

"Meh," Jenifer shrugged as she chewed her food. After swallowing, she added. "I can work it off later. Gymnastics burn a lot more calories than what's in one stupid sandwich."

"Don't be so nonchalant about your doom!" The Box Ghost yelled in outrage. "These sandwiches will be your death."

"Death tastes a little dry." Danny noted.

"We need some mayo or something." Jenifer suggested.

"Good idea." Danny nodded. "Hey, Box Ghost! You got a sandwich with mayo?"

"Arg!" With that, the Box Ghost flew away in a rage.

"I guess that's a no." Danny frowned.

"Then we'll just have to fix them ourselves." Jenifer stood up. "Come on, I've got some spicy mustard and mayo at my house."

"Alright."

* * *

><p>"So what did Plasmius say?" Ember asked excitedly.<p>

"He did agree with my suggestion, but he's a little iffy on whether or not this is the right time for it." Danny explained. "Sandwich?"

"Thanks." Ember took the sandwich. "What does he mean by the timing is wrong?"

"Well…" Danny chose his words carefully. "The world's still pretty freaked out by ghosts. Vlad and I think it would be best to wait until autumn for you to do anything public. Give people time to cool off."

"Does the world even know I'm a ghost?" Ember asked.

"You know what, I don't know." Danny shrugged. "I mean, there was that whole live concert thing, but I think that people thought that our fight was all special effects. Plus, everyone watching was under mind control. And I know they weren't watching after Tucker started to sing, so it's still up in the air."

"Better safe than sorry, huh?" Ember sighed and took a bite out of her sandwich.

"That's Vlad's motto." Danny nodded.

"Okay, I can wait…" Ember took a bite out of her sandwich. "Wow, this is a good sandwich! Is that mayo?"

"I added that." Danny chuckled. "The rest was from the Box Ghost."

"Oh, that picnic box thing." Ember nodded. "...Hey…"

"Hey what?" Danny asked.

"I'm sorry about what happened to Fenton Works." Emeber stated.

"Thanks…" Danny grumbled. "But I don't want to talk about it."

"Is it getting any easier?" Ember asked. "I know that you've been hurting with the stress, grief, and nightmares."

"Easier? No." Danny said bluntly. "It only gets harder as time goes on. It's hard not to snap out at people. I've had to freeze over my emotions constantly to keep myself calm. And the Box Ghost's stupid ass attacks aren't helping me keep my cool….Gasp!" And cue the blue wisp.

"Beware!"

Danny scowled. "Okay, I'm going to kick the living crap out of him now."

"I thought you were all about second changes." Ember pointed out.

Danny grumbled. "He'll get another chance after the boot prints on his ass fade."

Ember just laughed at that. "Wait, I'm pretty sure this will turn out fine."

"Behold! The shoe box of terror!" The Box Ghost cried.

Danny face palmed. "I'm sorry, but how are shoes scary?"

"Well…yours are." Ember gave Danny a side glance. "I've got a wiff of them before. Something must have died in them."

"When it comes to terror shoes, one size fits all!" Box Ghost then opened the shoe box and a wave of shoes spread all over the mall. The shoes hit people on the head and caused a few bumps, but no one was really hurt. In fact…

"Hey everyone, the catering shoe salesman is giving out free samples!" The same woman from the park exclaimed in joy. Then everyone cried in joy as they grabbed the shoes they wanted.

"I am not a catering shoe salesman!" Box Ghost shouted. "You are supposed to tremble as my menacing footwear pinches your feet like nobody's business!"

Then, a woman asked. "Do you have these in an eight?"

"Gah!" The Box Ghost frowned. "What do I have to do to get people to tremble around here?"

As the Box Ghost fazed through the ceiling, Danny said. "You know what. Maybe I could use some of these shoes and stick them right up Box Ghost's…"

"Oh calm down." Ember was closely examining a pair of heels. "He may be annoying, but he has good tastes in shoes."

"Whatever, I just…" Something caught Danny's eyes. "Are those the new Jordans?"

"See what I mean?" Ember smirked.

* * *

><p>Crash!<p>

"Dani! Would you stop messing with my equipment!" Danny yelled at his sister. He was currently in the lab. Usually, he would be working with something, but now he was brainstorming. The writing pad he was writing on was filled out with a design and notes.

"But I'm bored!" Dani complained.

"Then go do something." Danny suggested. "No one's forcing you to stay down here."

"Yes, Danielle." Vlad sighed as he looked up from his business reports. "Why don't you play with Cujo?"

"Cujo's not here." Dani explained. "He's out on a walk."

"What about that new friend of yours?" Danny asked not looking up from his notepad.

"Rachel told me that she can't handle being around me too long…" Dani blushed. The new girl at school was distant and a bit of a loner. She didn't care about the status quo, though, so Dani tried to befriend the girl. It worked for the most part, but Rachel preferred the solitude in her books over the excitement of life.

As such, there were many conflicts between Rachel and Dani…Not to mention how weird Rachel's mom acted. She seemed more protective and paranoid than Dani's father.

"Can't imagine why…" Danny dryly stated.

"Why don't you teach me how to do duplicates or something." Dani suggested.

"You're still too young and you lack the stamina needed to use duplicates." Vlad deadpanned.

"You say that every day…" Dani grumbled.

"That's because you ask everyday." Vlad reminded her.

"Well, it's not fair…" Dani huffed.

"Here," Danny handed her a writing pad.

"What's this for?" Dani asked.

"I don't know. Use your imagination." Danny shrugged. "All I know is that we're not training right now. Maybe you can draw a picture."

"What am I, five?" Dani frowned.

"No, you're the girl that is annoying me right now…" Danny grumbled. "You wanted something to do, and you got it."

"You're still a kill joy!" Dani exclaimed as plopped down in a chair.

"Well, some things never change." Valerie's amused voice came from the opening elevator.

"Valorie!" Dani cheered.

"What is she doing in the lab?" Vlad questioned.

"Good to see you too, Mr. Masters." Valerie greeted. "As subtle as ever, I see."

"I needed her opinion on something." Danny explained. "It had to do with hand to hand combat."

"Hmm…" Vlad turned back to his reports. Turning into Plasmius, Vlad added, "If you insist that she be down here, then I shall take my work elsewhere. Don't do anything too dangerous, Daniel."

After the older halfa had left, Valerie asked. "What's his deal?"

"Don't mind him. He's…stressed about a meeting in a few days." Danny explained.

"Mr. Masters is stressed?" Valerie questioned. "I've seen him keep his cool through a lot of crap. This must be a big meeting."

"You could say that…" Danny then tried to change topics. "But going back to why I asked you to come here-"

"Hey, Valerie!" Dani shouted. "Can we do some training?"

"Sure." Valerie smiled. "It will be fun."

"Awesome, I've been waiting for-" Dani began but couldn't finish.

"I needed your opinion on my next project." Danny handed Valerie his notepad.

"Hey! Don't ignore me!" Dani yelled.

"My opinion? Is it about the Exoskeleton? You've been messing with it for weeks." Valerie looked around and noted that the suit was not in the room.

"Dad and Danny put the suit in the vault." Dani explained with a pout. She didn't like being ignored.

"The suit was already incredible before the modifications. Now…the only way it could be better is if I used nuclear power." Danny stated. "No, I needed to ask you if forcing fighting techniques into the body is possible."

"What do you mean?" Valerie questioned.

"I'm still being ignored…" Dani grumbled.

"During my escape from the Shadow's base, I was stopped by two master assassins. Because of my armor, gun, luck, their lack of mobility, Klemper's help, and being underestimated, I barely won. Even then, I had to use my healing powers.

"It made me realize…Without my powers, I'm defenseless at close range. I might be put in situations like that where I'm forced to stay as Fenton. Thus, I need to learn to fight using human hand-to-hand combat." Danny explained.

"Then we should train!" Dani yelled as she jumped up and started to punch the air.

"Dani's right. If you want to get better, you'll have to train." Valerie crossed her arms and gave him a pointed look.

"That's the problem though. Training like that would take years of repetition and practice. It's not that I'm not willing to put in the work, but there's a good chance I won't have that time. I need to be able to fight as soon as possible." Danny glared into space as he remembered the fight with Shiva and Sportsmaster.

"It doesn't work like that, Danny." Valerie shook her head.

"What if it did." Danny pointed to the notepad. "What if I could temporarily gain hundreds of years of experience in an instant."

"What?" Dani tilted her head in confusion.

Valerie looked at the paper in front of her. "You want to…plug into your spine and transfer fighting styles to your brain and body as if you actually practiced them…"

"Exactly." Danny nodded. "From what I understand, muscle memory is created when something is done enough times that the brain remembers the motion and unconsciously does it when needed. That's why professional athletes practice the same things so many times. So they can do the motion without consciously thinking."

"That sounds cool and all, but how will cutting into your spine help?" Dani asked.

"Instead of my brain, the suit I'll be wearing will react by sending pulses that cause my muscles to respond in a fight. For instance, if someone throws a punch at my head, I'll instantly block, sidestep, and counterattack in less than a second." Danny explained and pointed to the diagram.

"It's a…nice thought Danny, but there's problems." Valerie tried to put him down easily. "The biggest problem is the damage it could cause to your spine…"

"I have instant regeneration. If I have the suit block my ecto signal, I can constantly heal my spinal cord without anyone knowing that I'm using my powers." Danny stated. "The down side would be that I couldn't use any other powers, but still, that's the point of this project."

"You won't have the conditioning, though." Valerie noted. "You'll wear yourself out in no time."

"One: I practice my stamina everyday. It's the weakness of my powers. I need gas in the tank to use them. Two: Even in my human form I have almost superhuman endurance. Why else could I be thrown around like a rag doll and come out without a scratch." Danny grimaced at that thought.

"So…the only person it would work for is a person with a healing factor, superhuman stamina, and incredible endurance?" Dani frowned. "That limit's the people who can use it by a lot…"

"Even more if the suit is powered by the ecto energy in the user." Danny smirked.

"Then…it would only work for you." Valerie noted. "That's…ingenious."

"It would be useless to anyone else." Danny's smirk switched to a frown. "And that's how I want it…"

Neither Valerie or Dani said anything. They knew he was referring to the destruction of Fenton Works. It was hard to imagine what was happening with all the weapons, vehicles, and schematics that the assassins got.

Realizing that the situation was getting awkward, Danny decided to change the situation. "So, how's your vacation going, Val?"

"Great. How's your guy's going?" Valerie asked.

"I have work to catch up on." Danny explained as he looked over his work. "No time for vacation."

"What? You were gone all day. Visiting Jenifer and Ember, right?" Dani hummed to herself in remembrance. "That's why you couldn't train."

"You were…with Jenifer and Ember all day?" Valerie's left eyebrow began to twitch.

"I suppose technically." Danny remained blissfully unaware of Valerie's anger. "I had duplicates working here."

"Wha? I thought that didn't work…" Dani's eyes went wide in surprise.

"Well, it's not easy to have duplicates that far away." Danny noted. "Both the duplicates and I were really weak during the process. Plus, I was eating constantly to keep my energy up. Luckily, there was a caterer giving away sandwiches…"

"Useful…" Valerie frowned. "But why didn't you tell me about these duplicates or that you had free time to spend."

"Eh?" Danny looked up concerned.

"Why didn't you ask me to hang out?" Valerie stared at the halfa as she waited for her answer.

"Oh, snap…" Dani mumbled.

"I didn't ask anyone to hang out." Danny edged away from Valerie. "They basically dragged me out of the house. Said I needed some fresh air and time to think."

"Hmm…" Valerie seemed to mull this over. "Alright, then. Tomorrow we'll have a picnic."

"Huh?" Danny asked dumbly.

"Yeah!" Dani cheered. "That sounds fun. Can I go?"

"Sure." Valerie smiled at the younger girl. "You can even ask your Dad and Klemper to come."

"Wait a minute…" Danny was not allowed to finish that sentence.

"What about Wulf?" Dani questioned. "I'm sure he'd want to come."

Valerie hesitated for a moment. She didn't really know or trust the wolf ghost yet. "I…suppose."

"Are you deciding this without my input?" Danny was once again ignored.

"You do know that Ember will probably found out about this picnic too." Dani pointed out. "Maybe we should invite her and avoid an incident?"

Valerie grimaced. "I suppose that would be for the best…In fact, ask Jenifer to come. We could all use some… bonding time."

"You got it." Dani smiled.

"And I'm being ignored. My input means nothing…" Danny sighed.

"Doesn't feel good, does it?" Dani smirked. "Oh, that reminds me! What about training?"

"Good idea." Valerie smiled evilly as she grabbed Danny by his shirt and began to drag him to the elevator. "Let's go train."

"I suppose I have no say in this?"

"None."

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-April 7, 2010)<p>

**You are a monster.**

As he stared at the frightened girl, Danny clenched his fists. Never again. He would never come that close to killing again.

"…I'm not a monster…" Danny didn't know if he was saying this to himself or her. "I'm not.."

One thing passed through Danny's mind as he flew away. 'Never again.'

**Wrong. You broke that promise.**

"I made my choice already!" Phantom screamed. "He deserves to die!"

**You tried to kill Nocturne without a second thought. All because of your little temper.**

Danny glanced once again at the shattered PDA and grit his teeth. What made sense didn't matter. What was impossible no longer mattered. All that matter was that Tucker's PDA was now broken. The only thing that Danny had left of Tucker was gone!

Power surged through Danny as he crashed his right hand on the ground and pushed himself into a kneeling position. Then with a glare to the back of Colossus, Danny let everything burst out.

**You got so angry over a little PDA.**

"Were you **alive**? Kukukukukukukukukuku! How pathetic!" Klarion laughed at the trembling ghost. "Are you gonna cry?"

Phantom turned. He was still shaking, but it obviously not out of sorrow. His eyes showed the deep rage he had been feeling for days. "Okay…you wanted a fight…"

Energy flared around Phantom as he snarled, "I'll give you an ass kicking!"

**You started a fight with the Witch Boy over useless words. I'm starting to think you like fighting.**

"YYYYYEEEEEAAAAAHHHHH!" Phantom yelled in victory. Falling to his knees, Phantom revealed in his victory. Finally, all of his training was finally showing some results.

**Oh, that's right. You love fighting. **

The gatling gun struck Shiva point blank in the head. The force of the blow caused Shiva to slide back. Instantly putting herself into a defensive stance, Shiva was surprised when she saw Danny aiming his gun at her.

"Who needs hope when I've got ammo." Danny smiled and activated the gatling gun. Unable to dodge because of her injuries and the ice, Shiva was hit by several blasts of ectoplasm. The assassin was knocked out in an instant.

**You relish combat. You love overcoming the odds. You delight in mocking your enemies.**

"Grrr." Despite the suit being in multiple pieces, Skulker could still talk through his suit. "Stupid new power…Just you wait, Whelp! I will find a way to defeat you! Then you will be mounted on my wall!"

"Yeah, just keep telling yourself that. I will always be up for the challenge." Danny then used his thermos to capture the hunter ghost.

**Why else would you allow Skulker to attack you every week? You allow it because it pleases you. Fighting is the only time you feel alive. And you fight not for honor and worthy opponents like Colossus. No, you fight because you enjoy hurting others.**

And though his heart cried to give his pain and suffering to others, Danny could never do that.

He would protect the stupid, ignorant hypocrites who mocked his family. He would be their hero.

That was what they would have wanted.

**Being a hero means nothing to you now.** **Family and friends are just words you say. You are an empty shell who only lives to hurt others.**

"Look at you.." Spectra smacked the thermos out of Danny's hand. "What are you? A ghost trying to fit in with humans? Or some creepy little boy with creepy little powers?"

"Both…neither…I don't know!" Phantom yelled in confusion.

Spectra dropped Phantom and leered down at the boy. "You're a freak! Not a ghost, not a boy! Who cares for a thing like you?"

**You are a freak. You are a monster. You will eventually become like me…**

A picture appeared. The city was in ruins. Thousands of corpses were spread across the area. A single figure floated above it all. His fanged teeth twisted his blue face into a demented smile. His red eyes gleamed in delight. His flaming white hair swayed in the wind.

**I am inevitable.**

Danny's eyes shot open. His body was covered in sweat. He was trembling as he tried to catch his breath.

Placing his hands on his face, Danny sighed. Despite what everyone thought, his insomnia had not gotten any better. He merely got better at hiding it. He didn't want to take his pain out on anyone else.

The dreams always varied. Sometimes Dark Dan came back. Sometimes Danny became his evil counterpart. Sometimes…he just gave up all together.

Danny was afraid of just how tempting that sounded…

After Vlad's illness and the destruction of Fenton Works, Danny once again began to question his purpose. Why was he a hero? Why did he keep inventing? Why didn't he just leave and never look back? And most importantly…why the hell did he care at all about what he was doing with his life?

These were all question that Danny couldn't answer. Being a hero put his friends and family in more danger than if he just stayed home. Inventing only served to bring more problems than it solved. His presence in this city put more people in danger than anything else.

It all came down to his motivation. What was it that he really wanted? Did he want to be a hero? Did he want to protect his new family? Did he just want to fight?

Danny didn't really know.

Sighing, Danny got out of bed and looked at the clock. It was only three in the morning. If he went down stairs now, Vlad and Dani would hear and would ask why he was awake so early. Luckily, he brought his plans up to his room. He knew that this would probably happen. He needed to distract himself.

Looking over his notes, Danny frowned. Danielle drew on some of his older notes. She probably wanted to get back at him earlier for making fun of him. Oh well, at least she didn't make it unreadable. All she did was draw a big red x across the front.

* * *

><p>"Was this really a good idea?" Klemper in disguise as a normal blond haired teenager asked Danny. "That girl Jenifer isn't exactly used to being around our little group…"<p>

"Don't worry." Danny waved off Klemper's concerns. "All the ghosts here are wearing disguise belts…or collar in Cujo's case, and I told Jen that your all friends visiting from out of state for spring break."

"(I do not enjoy this appearance.)" Wulf growled. He appeared to be a young man in his upper teens. His black hair was long and shaggy, and he had a bulkier build. He still had the feral aura about him, though. "(I makes me appear weak…)"

"Thanks for that…" Danny frowned. "You still look a lot more intimidating than I do…"

"The disguises weren't what I was talking about." Klemper looked over to the girls of the group. "I was talking about inviting all three of them to the same place at the same time."

"Why? What's wrong with that?" Danny questioned.

"Oh, nothing. It's just-" Klemper was cut off by the shouting.

"What is your deal?!" Valerie yelled.

"My deal?!" Jenifer scowled. "You're the one whose been on my case for months! Every time I cough in school, you seem to be there to comment."

"Would you two shut it." Ember, who was disguised as a blond, tan girl named Elizabeth wearing a white sundress, complained with a mouth full of food. "I'm trying to eat here."

"Hey, say it, don't spray it." Valerie's nose wrinkled in disgust. "That's just gross…"

"You know I thought when I was coming to this picnic, I would get to hang out with Danny, not a prude and a slob."

"Who are you calling a prude/slob!" Valerie and Ember/Elizabeth yelled.

"Uh…" Danny rubbed his head in confusion. "What's with them?"

"(From the smell, I would say hormones.)" Wulf noted.

"Huh?" Danny questioned.

"I just think that…some people just don't get along." Klemper suggested to divert Danny's attention.

"Well…" Danny recalled his past conflicts with Torch. "That's true…"

"(Why's the little one edging her way to the other females?)" Wulf questioned.

"Er…" Klemper grimaced. "She's hoping for a fight…it's a long story."

"Quite the enjoyable one though." Vlad noted as he approached them. "Are you not going to eat?"

"We'll go when it's safe." Danny glanced over to the arguing females.

Vlad sighed. "I'll break it up. It's too nice of a day for teenage drama."

"In that case, I starving." Klemper followed after the older halfa.

"(Food!)" Wulf smirked.

"Try not to go all feral." Danny told the wolf ghost. "We don't need you freaking out Jen…"

Just as Danny was about the join the others, his phone rang. Looking at the ID, Danny held back a groan. "Hello, Batman."

"_Fenton, we have a problem."_ Batman growled over the phone.

"When don't we have a problem?" Danny sighed. "What is it?"

"_I've been informed by Wonder Woman that a dangerous Greek artifact has been stolen."_ Batman explained. _"Apparently, it's in your city."_

"Oh, so you're respecting my territory and asking to retrieve the artifact for you?" Danny questioned.

"_No."_

"Of course not." Danny sighed. "Who's coming?"

Batman gave him the name. _"Wonder Woman."_

"Well…" Danny sighed. "Dani's going to be happy."

* * *

><p>"I thought you were inviting that new friend of yours?" Vlad questioned his daughter. He was cooking hand burgers and hotdogs on the grill. Of course, he had to wear a kiss the chef apron.<p>

"She said she was coming…" Dani noted from her spot on the picnic blanket. She slipped the brown Cujo a hot dog and added. "She might be running late."

"Or she could be right behind you." A monotone voice sounded behind the female halfa.

Dani turned and smiled. "Hey, Rachel. When did you get here?"

The girl was smaller than Danielle. Despite the warmer weather, she was wearing a pair of jeans and a dark purple hoody with the hood up. Her skin was very pale and her eyes were a violet color. The rest of her features were hidden by the hood, though.

Rachel was sitting behind Dani and was holding a book. "I've been here for ten minutes."

"You have?" Valerie questioned.

"Yes." Rachel turned her attention to her book.

"I…didn't notice." Jenifer frowned. She obviously seemed frustrated by this development.

"People rarely notice what wants to be hidden." Rachel stated.

Elizabeth/Ember eyed the younger girl. "You didn't even say anything when you arrived. Why?"

"Not everyone has to announce their arrival as obnoxiously as you do." Valerie snorted.

"What's wrong with my entrance?" Ember/Elizabeth growled.

"Everything. The fireworks was what really put it over the top, though." Jenifer noted. "Glad you're only here for today."

"You want to fight!?" Ember/Elizabeth snarled.

Vlad sighed at the arguing females. "And the teenage drama continues. You two should never become like that."

"Oh, come on, Dad. You know that I'm going to be worse than that." Dani smiled.

"Bark!" Cujo seemed to agree.

"Please, you're worse than that already." Rachel drawled.

"What! Why are you so mean!?" Dani cried.

"Hahahahaha!" Vlad laughed. "I like your friend Danielle."

"Bark!" Cujo went over to the hooded girl. Said girl instantly started to pet the disguised dog.

"Traitors!" Dani yelled in outrage.

"They just like her calm demeanor." Klemper smiled. "It's definitely a change of pace for this group."

Wulf snorted at that.

"Yes, I apologize Danielle." Vlad smiled. "I meant nothing by it."

"Well, I did." Rachel looked up from her book. "By the way, I thought you said that your 'brother' was going to be here."

"He is…" Dani looked around. "Isn't…"

Klember glanced to the last place he saw Danny. "Where'd he go?"

Wulf tried to smell the air, but was stopped by a glare from Vlad.

Vlad then pulled out his phone. "I'll call him."

"Does he usually disappear like this?" Rachel asked.

"More than you can imagine." Klemper shrugged.

"Don't worry. I never do that." Dani smiled.

"Unfortunately." Rachel frowned.

"Still so mean!" Dani cried.

"They seem to get along well…" Klemper whispered to Wulf who nodded.

"Who's coming…" Vlad spoke into his phone. "I see…how long will this take?…Alright, what exactly was taken…Oh, no…Yes, goodbye."

"Where is he, Dad?" Dani asked.

"Something has come up." Vlad explained. "I would suggest that we-"

"Gasp!" A blue whisp came out of Dani's mouth.

"Beware!"

Everyone groaned loudly. The whole town was sick of the Box Ghost at this point.

"Behold the box of-"

"Pandora!" Vlad and Dani yelled.

"That's…Pandora's box." Rachel stared at the box.

"I thought it was a Greek myth." Jenifer stated.

"Apparently not." Valerie glared at the Box Ghost.

"We need to leave before he opens the box." Vlad gestured for them to start moving.

"Hahahaha!" Box Ghost opened the box and unleashed a wave of bats. "Creatures of the night, unleash my fright!"

"Ah!" The various people in the park started to scream as the bats swarmed around them.

"Stay away from my hair!" Jenifer smacked the bats away.

"Raw!" Wulf still in disguise yelled as the bats attacked him.

"Everyone, get out of the park!" Vlad started to push them all towards the exit.

"Slithering snakes, raise my stakes!" The Box ghost unleashed

The group ran out of the park. The snakes were all around them, but they pressed onward. By the time they reached the exit, they were almost overtaken by snakes.

"Alright." Vlad brushed off his suit. "I think it would be best if…where did they all go."

Valerie, Jenifer, and Rachel were all gone. They just seemed to disappear into thin air.

"Val probably circle around to go stop the box ghost. And I wouldn't worry about Jen and Rachel. I saw them head back into the city." Dani explained.

Vlad frowned. He didn't want to leave those girls to fend for themselves, but the city was the safer place right now. "Alright. With them gone, we can do our part."

"Our part?" Ember raised an eyebrow as she deactivated her disguise belt. "I'm heading home to the Ghost Zone."

"Alright, but we need to help." Klemper noted. "Every time that box is opened, the evil that come out becomes greater."

"Right!" Phantom's voice sounded above them. "Pandora explained that to me!"

"(Where have you been?)" Wulf questioned.

"I went home and got this." Phantom held up a Fenton Crammer. "We're going to need these weapons. But that's not what's important right now."

"What is?" Dani questioned.

"Pandora." Vlad noted. "We need to get her to help."

"Exactly. Ember, I need you to take Dani and go get Pandora." Phantom stated.

"What! Why me!?" Ember and Dani exclaimed…for different reasons of course.

"Vlad and I need to stay to keep the peace and Dani's the only one who Pandora knows. But I'm not letting her go alone." Phantom explained.

"What about Wulf, Cujo, or Klemper?!" Ember shouted.

"I'm going to need them, plus you're going to the Ghost Zone anyway." Phantom noted. "My map of the Ghost Zone is hanging in the lab. It'll lead you to her domain. Now, go!" With that, he turned and flew into the heart of the storm.

"I agree with him." Vlad looked around. When he confirmed that no one was around, he transformed. "Go and get Pandora. We'll…"

The sound of a plane rushed by them. The group felt the wind stream by them. None of them saw anything , though. "What was…"

Suddenly, a plane appeared above the park. It changed just like a ghost changes for invisibility. After catching a glimpse of who was in the plane, Dani groaned. "Oh come on! I have to leave now!? So not fair!"

* * *

><p>"Can't believe that I have to be here instead of fighting alongside Wonder Woman…" Spirit grumbled.<p>

"Hey, I'm the only one allowed to complain here." Ember snapped. "Why do I have to babysit?"

"Take that back!" Spirit shouted.

"Ah, no." Ember grimaced. "I had enough to do with kids when I was working with Youngblood."

"Don't compare me to him." Spirit growled.

"You're both immature and childish." Ember continued.

"Like you're one to talk!" Spirit yelled.

"Lalalalala!" Ember held her hands over her ears.

"See what I mean, I-"

"Ahhhhhhh!" Skulker zoomed by them. He was being chased by three fiery unicorns.

"Was that Skulker?" Spirit questioned.

"Yep, I'd recognize my old boyfriend's girly yell anywhere." Ember noted.

"We should help him." Spirit noted.

"Do we have to?" Ember asked.

"Yes!" Spirit grabbed Ember and began pulling her toward the fleeing hunter ghost.

"Arg!" Skulker's jet pack was blasted by the unicorns' rays and was destroyed. Luckily, Spirit managed to catch the hunter ghost before the unicorns could get to him.

"I won't tell anyone about this if you don't." Skulker noted.

"Please." Ember smirked. "I'm telling everyone about this."

"Oh, joy." Skulker growled.

The unicorns continued to chase the three ghosts. Normally, Spirit would gladly fight such cutesy creatures, but she had Skulker as baggage right now. Plus, if Skulker was running, those things must be pretty dangerous.

Several blasts of ectoplasm zoomed past them and destroyed a good chunk of Skulker's domain. Skulker scowled. "Oh that's great, I just had the whole place painted. Why are you holding me and not punishing the Box Ghost? This is his doing!"

"One: you're welcome. Two: I would rather be doing that right now, but Danny ordered me to find Pandora. You're just lucky that we stopped to save you." Spirit frowned.

Deciding to loose their chasers, Spirit and Ember hauled Skulker into an ice cave. "I never understood why people think those things are cute…"

"You should be safe here. We need to head to Pandora's domain." Spirit looked at the retreating unicorns.

Ember pulled out the map. "This says that its not far from here."

"Go then. Give the Box Ghost what he deserves." Skulker stated. "Because if you don't, then I'll hunt him down and give him the beating of his after life…"

* * *

><p>"This isn't going well!" Phantom yelled as blasted the snakes away with an ecto bazooka.<p>

"BARK!" Cujo in attack mode growled in agreement as he tried to eat some frog legs.

"The hydra isn't helping!" Klemper tried to freeze the large monster. Unfortunately, the beast shrugged the ice off like a bad coat.

"(We need to attack the Box Ghost directly!)" Wulf used a Fenton Nine Tails (Danny made sure to change the name) to swat at the bats and frogs.

"We're supposed to be traffic control." Plasmius noted as he held slammed into the hydra and knocked it on the side. "Make sure no one gets hurt."

"Fools! No one is safe from me anymore!" The Box Ghost screamed from his spot on his blue Pegasus.

"It's you that's not safe." Red Huntress shouted. She circled the Box Ghost and sent several ecto blasts toward the ghosts. The Pegasus stopped every attack, though. Nothing got anywhere remotely close.

Until a golden rope appeared above the Box Ghost and rapped around his body. Wonder Woman floated up to the Ghost and smirked.

Phantom had to admit. Wonder Woman was the single most beautiful woman that he had ever seen. She skin was flawless. Her black hair was silky. Her face was regal, authoritative, and beautiful. The halfa couldn't help but look at her figure. If there was such thing as perfection, that would be it. Wonder Woman must have known it, too, considering that her outfit was pretty revealing.

'Why do all the female heroes wear things like that?' Phantom wondered. 'Is it for distraction?'

"Now, cretin." Wonder Woman glared at the Box Ghost. "You shall relinquish the box."

"Never!" The Box Ghost struggled against the restraints.

"So be it!" Wonder Woman pulled at the ropes. Unfortunately, the Box Ghost opened the box at Wonder Woman before she could pull him off the flying horse. A spider the size of the Fenton RV flew out and tackled Wonder Woman to the ground.

"Is that thing's drool acid!?" Red Huntress yelled as she went to help Wonder Woman. The spider seemed to be overpowering the Amazon. The beast's drool hit the ground and was causing the dirt to melt.

"Yes it is! Beware!" The Box Ghost intercepted the female ghost hunter and opened the box to send a griffin toward the hunter.

The lion bird soared toward the hunter. It's claws were ready to tear the girl to pieces. Red Huntress managed to dodge the attacks, but the griffin continued its assault on the huntress. She had no time to fight back.

"Klember help Red! Wulf help Wonder Woman!" Phantom ordered his friends as he threw his bazooka toward the ice ghost. They did as instructed.

"Come here, Cujo! We've got the hydra!" Plasmius yelled as he used duplicates to keep the hydra distracted. "Get the Box Ghost!"

"Yeah!" Phantom rocketed toward his foe, but stopped when something caught his eye. A young girl was about to be smashed by a large snake with wings.

"Gah…" Phantom flew to the girl and picked her up. He then flew away from the disaster and to a safe area.

"Stay here!" Phantom put the girl down and turned back to the fight. The girl didn't let go of his coat, however, and weighed him down. "What is it? I need to go help the others."

The pale girl was wearing a dark purple hoody. The hood fell down in the flight, so Phantom could clearly see her violet eyes and short violet hair. "You're the Phantom."

"I am." Phantom nodded. "And you need to let go now."

The girl didn't, though. She held on like he was a lifeline. Her eyes were focused to the DP symbol on his chest. "I wanted to meet you. That's why I went back."

"Meet me?" Phantom questioned.

"Yes, you are the Fate Changer." The girl mumbled as she looked up to him desperately. "You are the man who will deny death three times. You are the man that will absolve the sins and ascend to the absolute power. You are why I came to this city."

"Huh?" Phantom questioned and knelt down to her level. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm sorry." The girl bowed her head in shame. "I am telling you this too early…Mother warned that I should stay away, but you are my hope."

"I don't understand…" Something caught Phantom's attention. A blur was heading to them. Pushing the girl away, Phantom spun around and did an ecto powered uppercut to the flying serpent. He managed to divert the charge, but the winged snake used its tail to grab the halfa and pull him into the air.

The girl watched the older boy get dragged off. He would quickly forget that this conversation had happened, but she needed to say it. She needed to play a part, even if it was small and insignificant.

May twenty-fifth… Soon…it would happen soon. The true story would begin.

* * *

><p>"Well that was a pain." Spirit grumbled as they strode past a police officer talking to ghost with hundreds of eyes.<p>

"Yeah, stupid maze." Ember complained. "I knew that getting to one of the six's homes would be difficult but that was just stupid."

"That's something we can agree on…" Spirit noted.

"Yep," Ember nodded. "Annoying things like mazes suck."

"Amen to that sister." Spirit walked up to the door and rand the doorbell.

Ding-Dong!

The door flew open. A very angry Pandora stood before them. "Who is it!"

"Ah…" Spirit and Ember shrunk back in terror. "It's me…Dani."

"Oh," The anger instantly left Pandora's face. "I'm sorry, dear. It's just been a really bad day. You see my box has been stolen, and Nyx helped the perpetrator get away."

"Yeah, about that…" Spirit gave a shaky smile. "I…uh…know where you box is."

"You do?"

* * *

><p>"Arg!" Phantom groaned as the flying serpent squeezed his body. "I see why Tucker always hated snakes…"<p>

Phantom tried to use force to pry open the snake, but that didn't work. "Okay…time for a newer trick…" Phantom's body turned into a green cloud. The gas instantly escaped the hold and flew up to the flying snake's head.

Turning into his physical form, Phantom raised an ectoplasmic fist and fired it at the serpent's head. The ectoplasm exploded and blasted the snake to the ground. Phantom followed the falling snake and sent a barrage of punches at the snake.

Half way to the ground, Phantom grabbed the snakes head and swung it like a whip. He knocked the griffin fighting Red Huntress and Klemper out of the sky. The griffin then rammed into the giant spider fighting Wulf and Wonder Woman, and the monsters rolled in front of the hydra.

"Plasmius!" Phantom flung the snake to his mentor.

Plasmius grabbed the snake. With the help of his duplicates and Cujo, he used the snake's body to tie the hydra's heads together. He then pulled the snake like a rope and use the hydra to crush the snake and spider.

"It's over Box Ghost!" Phantom growled.

"You're surrounded." Wonder Woman glared. "Relinquish the box and allow me to complete my mission!"

"Hahaha!" The Box Ghost laughed. "A small victory! There are a lot more where they came from. The Box Ghost's reign has only just begun!"

"You're reign will be the shortest in history!" An angry voice sounded through the area.

A wave of righteous female fury rushed through the group. Eveyone winced at the feeling. Wonder Woman seemed to revel in it, though.

"Uh oh…" Box Ghost looked over fearfully at Pandora, Nyx, and Spirit.

"Wow this place looks like it's been a good old playground." Nyx smirked.

"Be silent, child!" Pandora glared at her daughter. "If you had alerted me to the intruder in the first place, none of this would've happened! That's why you're here. To help fix this mess."

"Meh…coulda, shoulda, woulda." Nyx shrugged. Cue the ear pinch…"Ow!"

"It's over Box Ghost!" Phantom yelled. "There's no way you can win!"

The Box Ghost looked around. It was obvious that he didn't like his odds. "Never! I The Box Ghost! Am all powerful with my box of terror!"

"YOUR BOX?!" Pandora yelled. "THAT IS MY BOX!"

"…Oh, poop…"

* * *

><p>What transpired would later be called one of the most one sided fights in history. With three S-rank ghosts, five regular ghosts, one ghost hunter, and one Justice Leaguer as his enemy, Box Ghost didn't stand a chance. He tried to use the box to fight back, but it was no use. The box was soon knocked out of his hands. Thus ensued the single worst beating the Box Ghost ever received.<p>

He was pumbled, scratched, frozen, beaten, pulverized, dest…okay, a lot of bad crap happened to him. Let's just stick with that.

After the…'fight'…was over, Phantom gave the box back to Pandora. "My most treasured possession. How dare you betray it by using it for evil." Pandora blasted the Box Ghost again.

"Ow! Please stop hurting the savage-"

Zap!

"Ow! Deadly-"

Zap!

"Ow! Box-"

Zap!

"Ow! Ghost…"

…

…

Zap!

"Ow!"

"Wait…" Wonder Woman looked up to Pandora. "The box is not supposed to be used for evil."

"Of course, not!" Pandora seemed outraged by the accusation. "I created this box to contain the greatest malevolence of the Ghost Zone. That way I could make both our worlds less evil."

"Hmm…" Wonder Woman sighed. "Another legend proven to be false."

"It was really nice of you to make that box, then…" Klemper noted.

"Yes, under all this fury and rage, I'm really quite the kind and thoughtful gal." Pandora smiled. Then she angrily blasted the Box Ghost through the wall "RAW!"

"So much pain…"

"I don't suppose you know how to get the rest of this evil back into the box?" Plasmius questioned.

"Oh, yes, that's the easy part." Pandora turned the box upside down. "I knew that spew switch would come back to haunt me…"

After all the evil was recaptured, Wonder Woman used her magic lasso to tie up the Box Ghost. The others were about to chastise the Box Ghost when Phantom asked. "Okay, why the hell have you been doing all this crap for the past week."

The Box Ghost's pupils widened as the Lasso of Truth did its job. "I'm trying to impress the Lunch Lady!"

Silence.

More silence.

A lot of awkward silence.

"(Okay, that is the grossest thing I have ever heard…)" Wulf noted.

* * *

><p>As the Box Ghost and to a lesser extent Nyx cleaned up the damage done. Spirit took this opportunity to talk to her idol.<p>

"It's so amazing to finally meet you." Spirit grinned up at the Amazon.

"Thank you, child." Wonder Woman smiled gently. "I'm glad that I can be an ispiration to the younger women, but…you are far too young for this line of work."

"Wha?" Spirit seemed devastated. "But I thought I did good…"

"You did well, but this is a dangerous life you're trying to live." Wonder Woman glared over at Phantom and Plasmius. "And your caretakers shouldn't put you in this kind of danger yet."

"What?" Spirit looked over to her family. They were helping in putting the park back together. "They tried to convince me to wait, but I managed to get them to let me help Phantom in the hero work."

"They should have been sterner. You're not ready to be a heroine." Wonder Woman sternly stated.

"Why? I'm strong!" Spirit flexed her nonexistent muscles. Of course, that meant nothing since she could smash concrete with her ectoplasm.

"I'm not questioning your strength, young warrior. I'm questioning your maturity and experience." Wonder Woman explained.

"Well I may not have a lot of maturity or experience yet…" Spirit began.

"See." Wonder Woman smiled.

"But that's the point right?" Spirit finished. "I have to make mistakes and be out here fighting to get better right?"

"I…" Wonder Woman seemed gob smacked.

"I may not be ready to be on my own, but I have my cousin and Red Huntress to help me." Spirit summarized. "They trust me, and I trust them. And I think that's enough."

Wonder Woman was silent for a minute. "…It is always refreshing to hear the views of a younger person. They have such incite…I can now see why the gods instructed me to come here."

Spirit beamed at the praise.

"You are wise beyond your years, Spirit." Wonder Woman stood. "I look forward to the day you stand beside me and the League."

Spirit just smiled at that.

"But until then, perhaps I should have a conversation with your cousin."

* * *

><p>"Today…was crappy." Danny plopped on the couch. "Arguing girls, Box Ghost attacking, Wonder Woman giving me an earful on protecting a future Amazon…Oh!…and now a ghost dog just landed where the sun don't shine…"<p>

"Bark!"

"Yes, I forgive you." Danny laid his head back.

"Oh suck it up." Dani sat down in a chair across from Danny.

Danny just glared at her.

"I thought today went very well." Dani smiled. "I met Wonder Woman, beat up on Box Ghost, and Nyx got in trouble. A great day in my opinion."

"Yeah, well, you don't have to be the one that deals with the Box Ghost problem." Danny complained.

"You volunteered for it." Dani noted.

"Because no one else would." Danny sighed. "I suppose it will be worth it when we no longer have to deal with the Box Ghost."

"That will be the day…" Dani smiled.

"A day we will all look forward to, but until then…" Vlad walked in and handed Danny some papers. "We have another day to plan for."

Danny looked over the papers as he absentmindedly petted Cujo. "So everything's set?"

Vlad sighed. "Unfortunately."

"Alright, what are you talking about?" Dani asked.

Vlad and Danny shared a look. Nodding, Vlad said, "It does involve you. You will be coming as someone under my protection."

"What does that mean?" Dani asked.

"It means…" Danny glared at the papers. "That this so called council of the elite is not just a social gathering. It's a war conference."

* * *

><p>Omake: The Worst Punishment<p>

Nyx was officially bored. She was so bored, she was ready to rip her finger nails off. Her boredom was so bad that she would rather being doing her chores right now than doing this.

So what if she some dumb ghost get to the box? So what if she helped him get to the box without any trouble? So what if she set the box to spew so the dumb ghost could use the box?

She had been bored!

Because of that stupid fight with Spirit…Dani…whatever her name was…Nyx had been grounded. She hadn't been allowed to do anything fun. It had been torture. Who could blame her for acting out!

Well…apparently her mom did blame her. Her mother punished her for being an 'accessory to a crime.' Because right now, she was facing the worst punishment in the history of punishments.

She had to watch paint dry.

"Can I please do something else now!?" Nyx cried in agony.

"No!" Pandora yelled.

"Please! I'm sorry!" Nyx tearfully shouted.

"That's good! But you still have to watch the paint dry for another hour!" Pandora exclaimed. She then picked up a drumstick and threw it at the Box Ghost who was working on the hedge. "Back to work!"

"Yes, ma'am…" The Box Ghost dejectedly stated.

Phantom used his ectoplasm to pick up a rake and throw it over to the Box Ghost. "Beware!…Hey that is kind of fun to say…"

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Nyx screamed. "I'm going to die of boredom!"

"Now that I want to see." Spirit smirked.

"Why are you even here?" Nyx growled.

"Our last picnic was ruined, so Pandora offered to let us eat here." Phantom noted. "Could you please pass the potatoe salad?"

"Of course," Plasmius passed the food.

"This lunch is great." Klemper noted.

"(Very delicious)" Wulf growled in-between bites.

"I'm surprised that the Box Ghost is such a good cook." Ember noted.

"Hmm…" Valerie seemed to agree.

"Oh, great." Nyx cried. "Now I'm bored, tired, and hungry" Thud. "…and I have paint in my hair. Worst. Punishment. Ever."

* * *

><p>Omake: Instant Regret<p>

(Thursday-April 8, 2010)

"Alright," Phantom turned to look at the Box Ghost. "You ready for this?"

"Beware! The Box Ghost is always…not ready…" Box Ghost whimpered the last part.

Phantom groaned and turned back to the area in front of him. It could be described as a large soup kitchen. Tables were spread all across the completely grey room. Several ordinary green ghosts were spread around the room eating their meals. The most condensed group was in the form a line leading to the window where their target stood.

"We went over this already." Phantom sighed. "Just go up to the window and ask her."

"What if she says no?" Box Ghost trembled.

"Then you can go cry and leave me alone." Phantom grumbled.

"That is not being supportive!" Box Ghost yelled.

"All I want is for you to be out of my hair." Phantom explained. "You'll only get support from people who give a damn."

"That's it!" Box Ghost turned. "Beware! I'm leaving."

"Wait, wait, wait." Phantom grabbed the Box Ghost's should and turned him. "Alright, I'll help you through this, but you have to promise to never ever…everevereverevereverevereverever! Attack Amity Park eeeeeeeeeeeeevvvvvvvvvvver again…."

Wow, that was subtle…

"I promise!" Box Ghost cried.

"Alright." Phantom nodded. "Here's what you do. Go up to her, look her straight in the eye, and introduce yourself. Then get in real close and say, 'I've admired your work for some time. I would be honored if you would accompany me on a picnic'."

During his speech, Danny leaned in very close to Box Ghost. He was trying to demonstrate what to do, but he had unintentionally gotten too close for comfort. Feeling several eyes on him, Phantom turned as saw that all the nearby ghosts were staring at the two.

"What are you looking at?!" Phantom demanded. "Don't you judge us! Just go back to your food, except for you. Yeah, you. I see that Ipod. You're playing Angry Birds aren't you? Psh! Thought that no one would notice, huh? Well I did! So turn around!"

All the ghosts suddenly turned away. They were too afraid to say anything to Phantom. The one large spider ghost that Phantom accused of playing Angry Birds got up and left, though. He wasn't holding an Ipod, but Phantom knew what he saw.

"How did you even come up with that, anyway?" Box Ghost accused. "You haven't any real experience with the females."

"Yeah, but I have four consultants in Amity Park that were more than willing to help out in a love story." Phantom explained. "Those words were approved of by four different woman. And that is good enough for me."

"Okay…okay…" Box Ghost encouraged himself. "I can do this! Beware!"

"Yeah!…" Phantom watched him march up to the window. Then, he whispered to himself. "I didn't ask anybody about what to say… He's so screwed…"

Phantom observed as the Box Ghost pushed his way through the line. Some ghosts looked they were about to argue, but stopped when they saw that it was the ghost that stole Pandora's Box and lived. They weren't about to mess with him.

"Corn?" A friendly old lady voice asked the Box Ghost.

"No, I…um…I am the Box Ghost!" Box Ghost cried but then whispered. "But my real name is Cliff."

'Cliff?' Phantom mouthed the name a few times. 'Hmm…Beware! I am Cliff!…Doesn't have the same ring to it. I can see why he uses his title.'

"That's nice. Do you want carrots instead?" The Lunch Lady asked. Right now, she appeared as normal, albeit green, lunch lady. Phantom knew what she looked like when she was angry though. It wasn't a pretty sight.

"N-no th-thank y-y-you." The Box stuttered. "I…um…have admired your work for a long time, Lunch Lady…"

"THEN WHY DO YOU REFUSE MY FOOD!?" The Lunch Lady yelled in an outburst.

The Box Ghost cowered under the woman's anger. "Because I wanted to ask you something."

"Oh? Is it about the special?" Lunch Lady switched back to her friendly attitude. "I worked really hard on it. It has cinnamon!"

'The winner man!' Phantom thought to himself.

"Actually I was going to ask about cooking for you." The Box Ghost smiled.

"IS MY FOOD NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU!?" The Lunch Lady screamed.

"No! Your food is amazing!" Cliff the Box Ghost praised.

'Good, go to flattery.' Phantom nodded to himself.

"You think so?" The Lunch Lady questioned gently.

"Of course, but you work too hard!" The Box Ghost explained. "That's why I wanted to take you on a picnic!"

"Oh! That sounds wonderful!" The Lunch Lady smiled. "When?"

"Um, uh, this Saturday at noon!" The Box Ghost grinned broadly.

"Good! You can pick me up here." The Lunch Lady stated. "But for now… EAT MY CAKE OF DESTRUCTION!"

Shaking his head, Phantom turned and began to walk way. His job was done. As he exited, he saw the spider ghost from earlier holding a small square device. 'Knew he was playing Angry Birds…'

It was then that it hit Danny. He had just hooked up the Box Ghost and the Lunch Lady. Flashes a small girl named Boxed Lunch appeared in Phantom's head. Phantom was now responsible for that. He had had helped create that…

"What have I just done?"

* * *

><p><strong>Yeah, so I had to tear myself away from GTA 5 to finish this. That is an addicting game. It was not an easy task to stop playing.<strong>

**Next chapter will be the Council of the Elite. That will be interesting. And a DC character will make an appearance. He wasn't in YJ, but I had to include him. Can you guess who it will be?**

**Thank you all for reading and please remember to...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	15. Vision

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Leadership is based on inspiration, not domination; on cooperation, not intimidation."

William Arthur Ward

* * *

><p>Chapter 15: "Vision"<p>

(Sunday-April 11, 2010)

"Is this really part of the Ghost Zone?" Spirit looked around the compound in front of her. There were several three-story circular building connected to each other by corridors. The roofs looked like huge spiral cones. Each building had black rune designs written across the white paint. Spirit didn't know what they were for, but they looked good.

The front yard was a garden filled with all kinds of flowers. The grass and hedges were neatly cut. The sakura trees were blooming. The sky had some sort of illusion on it to make it appear orange red like the setting sun. It was all so beautiful.

"Yes," Plasmius nodded. "It is a part of the Ghost Zone that few souls have ever seen and lived to speak of it."

"Why? It looks wonderful here." Spirit smiled as she felt a gentle wind sweep past her.

"The master of this estate is not known for being forgiving or for particularly enjoying uninvited guests." Plasmius explained.

"Hmm…" Spirit could see why someone would be protective of this place. "Who's the master anyway?"

"Now that is a good question." A cheerful voice caught the halfa's attention. They turned and saw Frostbite approaching them. He had two other yeti ghosts with him. These yeti ghosts appeared to be his bodyguards.

"Yes, it is." Plasmius nodded to his acquaintance. "Good to see you, Frostbite."

"Plasmius." Frostbite returned the nod. "Now, young one, what do you know of the six?"

"Six what?" Spirit questioned.

Frostbite laughed. "The six ancient ghosts that defeated the Ghost King."

"Oh…" Spirit tilted her head in though. "Danny explained it once, but I really wasn't listening…"

"Of course not." Vlad smiled and shook his head. "The Ancient Six sealed the Ghost King to stop his unjust rule."

"Until you unsealed him." Frostbite noted.

"Details, details," Plasmius shrugged. "Anyway, after the Ancient Six stopped the Ghost King's reign, they formed a council. It was in that council that they decided that there would never be an official ruler of the Ghost Zone again. They knew that the power would corrupt anyone who tried."

"Yes," Frostbite agreed with Plasmius. "It was mostly to keep each of us in check. If one of us got any ideas, then the other five would step in. But that's not the end of the story. We also decided that if a crisis ever arrived that would had the potential of completely destroying the balance between the human world and ghost world, then we would have another council meeting; and it would be held in the domain of the ghost that called it."

"Thus this meeting…" Spirit summarized.

"Yes, this is the council of the elite." Frostbite nodded. "Only without Jester, and with the new S-rank ghosts."

"But the balance had been disturbed before." Spirit pointed out. "Like the Ghost King's Return or the Nocturne Crisis. Why didn't you meet then?"

"I was going to call the council into my domain." Frostbite explained. "But the Great One intervened before there was a chance. The same could be said for the Nocturne Crisis."

"Alright, that makes sense." Spirit noted. "But you didn't answer my original question."

"Yes, the master of this domain…" Frostbite scratched his chin. "She was originally the leader of the Ancient Six. She's called the Undefeated Strategist. Her name is…"

* * *

><p>"Vision." Colossus looked over to his companion. "The most dangerous of the Ancient Six."<p>

"Most dangerous?" Phantom looked startled.

After arriving Dani, Phantom and Plasmius had decided to use the freedom they were allowed as guests to get a better layout of the area. Plasmius and Spirit would scope out the front yard of the compound, while Phantom searched the back of the compound.

The backyard was similar to the front. There was a small creek that started from the nearby hills. It flowed across the yard and fed into a medium sized pond. This was where Phantom found Colossus. The large ghost had been sitting by the pond watching the fishes. Apparently, he wanted to do some fishing, but didn't because he didn't want to anger Vision.

The thought that Colossus was actual cautious about this Vision made Phantom worry about this upcoming meeting.

"Yes." Colossus took a big swig of a large bottle of something. Phantom assumed it was come kind of alcohol, but Colossus didn't seem affected in the least by the intoxicating liquid. "Want any?" Colossus offered.

"I'm underage." Phantom pointed out.

"So?" Colossus raised an black eyebrow.

"Uh…no thanks…" Phantom frowned.

"Suit yourself." Colossus shrugged.

"What makes her so dangerous?" Phantom asked.

"It comes from her nickname, the Undefeated Strategist." Torch's voice caught their attention.

"You're here, too?" Phantom questioned.

"Of course!" Torch smirked. "Torch's magnificence has impressed Lady Vision enough to be asked to join the council of the elite!"

"Master, you are right! Lady Vision most definitely invited you for your awesomeness!" Bi the fire ghost monkey shrieked from his spot to the left of Torch.

"I think that is completely true, Master Torch!" Smo the raven ghost exclaimed.

"Or she just needed a movable heater." Phantom suggested.

Torch fell to his knees in depression.

"I think he's wrong, Master Torch!" Smo comforted his leader.

"Phantom is wrong! You most definitely are the best!" Bi helped pick Torch up.

Colossus laughed at the sight before him. "Hahahahahahaha! Don't worry, Torch. Vision would only ask you to this meeting if you deserved it."

"Torch thanks you for your kindness, General." Torch glared at Phantom. "Unlike some people (cough DP cough) who let their jealously of greatness cloud their mind."

Phantom put his hand over his mouth and did a fart noise.

"As Torch was saying!" Torch stood tall in pride. His minions looked up at him in awe. "Lady Vision is a master manipulator. She can control any battlefield with her perfect strategies. This and her perfect control over her Haunting Aura have resulted in her being called the most dangerous of the Ancient Six."

"It's true." Colossus noted. "I just charge in head first. I don't think during a fight, I just use my instincts. But Vision always has a plan…and a backup plan…and a backup plan for her backup plan…and-"

"Okay, we get it." Phantom and Torch both groaned.

"Alright." Colossus nodded. "Like young Torch said, though. Her brilliant mind isn't the only thing that makes her dangerous. Her Haunting Aura is something else. It can be so subtle that you don't know that she's even using it. Yet, it can also be a merciless tsunami that destroys everything in its path."

Phantom looked taken back. "She's that powerful."

"Powerful?" Colossus chuckled at that. "I never said powerful. I said dangerous. Out of all the Ancient Six, she had the least amount of raw power. If we were to fight, then there is no way for her to overpower me. But she would push me far more than the others, though. I might have to go all out. Her intelligence, control, and intimidation is unrivaled in the Ghost Zone."

"Why are all the women I meet completely terrifying?" Phantom sighed.

"If they were any other way, they would be boring." Colossus grinned.

* * *

><p>"Why are you here?" Spirit glared at her rival.<p>

"Mom told me that I had to come." Nyx glared back.

"Well…" Spirit looked back at her Dad. He was still talking to Frostbite. "I can relate to you there."

Nyx nodded at that. "Parents are a pain sometimes…but I don't think that this is one of them."

"Huh?" Spirit questioned. "Why? Wouldn't you consider this kind of boring."

"A bunch of old people talking about politics?" Nyx clarified. "Oh, completely."

"Then shouldn't you hate this?" Spirit asked.

Nyx looked over to the compound. "Can't you feel it, Girl Scout?"

Spirit nodded slowly. "The tension."

"The air is thick with it." Nyx noted. "Adults don't act this way unless it's big. And not only did they allow us to come, they actually told us we had too. This isn't just big, this is an enormous disaster waiting to happen. They want us here to make sure that we will be protected."

"Protected from what?" Spirit glanced over to the compound again. "The others?"

"I think so." Nyx nodded. "They want the others to know that we're off limits if things go south."

"You mean if major conflict arises." Spirit stated. "If there is war because of this."

Nyx frowned. "Everyone I've seen seems so worried about this. Look at Plasmius and Frostbite. They look dead serious."

Spirit nodded. "They don't think this will end well. Everyone's looking over their shoulder just in case."

"You think its bad out here? You should see it inside." Nyx shuddered. "I had to get out of there. I felt like I was suffocating. Unconscious Haunting Auras are bouncing all over the place in there."

"They just want to protect themselves and the people they care about." Spirit noted. "It's stressing them out."

"What I don't get is that if this council is so dangerous…why are they having it?" Nyx questioned.

"I guess only that Vision lady knows." Spirit suggested.

"Mom told me a little about Vision. They used to be friends, but Vision's cold and calculating attitude conflicted with my mom's passion and hotheadedness." Nyx explained. "Mom doesn't talk about the other six very often, but I do know that Vision is very intelligent. She knows what will happen if this doesn't work."

"Yet she did it anyway." Spirit crossed her arms in thought. "She must have a good reason."

"For her to call a meeting like this, she must have a great reason." Nyx nodded. "But you know what…all this chaos brimming at the seams…its really fun."

"Of course you would think so." Spirit snorted.

"Danielle!" Plasmius called over to his daughter. "It's time to go inside!"

"Okay, Dad!" Spirit called out. She then looked over at her rival. "You coming?"

"Yeah…" Nyx followed after Spirit. As they walked into the compound, she asked. "I suppose this is a bad time to bring up our rematch, eh Girl Scout?"

"Yes it is." Spirit nodded. "And don't call me Girl Scout."

"…Later?…"

"Later."

* * *

><p>The inside of the compound was amazing. Each room was lavish and expensive. The furniture looked as if they were imported from all over the human world. Beautiful chandeliers hung from the ceiling. The same ruins from the outside were spread across the rooms. Phantom didn't know what they were for, but something told him that they weren't just decorative.<p>

"Do you know you're way around this place?" Phantom looked up to the giant ghost.

Colossus could actually fit in all the rooms. Each room was huge in scale, and each door could easily fit the giant. Yet what the biggest room they had traveled in was the hallway they were in now. The hall could easily fit a house in it.

"I know where three places are in this place." Colossus noted as he led the other two S-rank ghosts (along with Smo and Bi) down the hall. "The kitchen, the sparing hall, and the meeting chambers."

"This room rivals the kitchen?" Torch questioned. Nothing could be more important than food.

"For today it does." Colossus explained. Suddenly he stopped and stared ahead. "Ah?"

Phantom looked ahead and saw the familiar faces of Scribe the Ghost Writer and Pandora. They were glaring at each other. Both seemed rather angry about something.

"And I tell you, Scribe, that using your powers for justice will bring hope to the world." Pandora glared down at the average sized ghost.

The Ghost Writer didn't seem the least bit intimidated. "Until such interference disrupts the balance of power. We have no way of know how the universe will react to my changing reality."

"The positives out way the risks." Pandora argued. "You could solve world hunger. You could cure all disease. You could make the world a better place."

"Or I could inadvertently make the both our worlds worse in the process." Scribe frowned. "There is a reason Clockwork only interferes when absolutely necessary."

"Clockwork is different." Pandora frowned.

"How so? Please enlighten me." The Ghost Writer sarcastically begged.

"You know why…" Pandora growled.

"Pandora! Scribe!" Colossus yelled as he raced over to his old companions.

Both of the ghosts flinched and turned to face Colossus. Neither seemed all that happy about seeing the giant ghost. In fact, they already looked tired of his presence.

"Hello, Colossus." Pandora sighed.

"I heard you were awake." Scribe noted.

"Yes." Colossus grinned. "My home fell down all around me. It was rather old, so no big deal."

"Once again your ability to overlook such major incidents astound me." Pandora shook her head. "Wouldn't an attack on your home be an attack on your honor?"

"I don't know if it was an attack or not (Pandora's and Scribe's faces screamed, "You haven't even investigated it?"). But even if it was, it was just stuff. It wasn't like someone actually tried to stab me in the back or something." Colossus grinned.

"It was history, Colossus." The Ghost Writer frowned. "There were several ancient writings in there that can never be retrieved."

"You and your books." Colossus chuckled. "Don't worry, I can just write them down again."

"It's the principle of the matter Colossus!" The Ghost Writer snapped. "You can't regain the history or the personality of the writings!"

"Okay…you lost me at 'It's the…something'." Colossus scratched his head in confusion. "Could you repeat that?"

"What's the point in talking to a brute…" Scribe sighed.

Phantom looked over at Torch and stated. "I didn't think that they would argue so much."

"Torch agrees." Torch frowned at the sight in front of him. He didn't like seeing his idols bickering like this. "Torch always imagined them to be untouchable and unshakable, but this…"

"I know you are, but what am I?!" Colossus yelled.

"A child apparently." Pandora scowled.

"Must you be so condescending?" The Ghost Writer sighed.

"You're the one who called him a brute." Pandora shot back.

"He has with pride called himself a brute." Scribe explained. "You speak to everyone as if they are beneath you. A child, like you just said."

"Do you suppose this is why the Ancient Six haven't spoken to each other in ages?" Torch questioned.

"I guess." Phantom shrugged. "They're acting worse than us when we fight."

Torch nodded. "At least Torch and DP know how to get along during times of crisis…"

"I think that this is getting out of hand…" Smo mumbled.

"This is most definitely getting out of hand." Bi agreed.

"Maybe you should step in?" Phantom suggested. "You can cool down the situation."

"Yes, Torch must intervene…" Torch rushed ahead. "The Controller of Chaos and the Ghost Writer, Torch thinks it's such a honor to meet you!"

The ancient ghosts' attention turned to Torch. It was a scary scene. The fire ghost flinched under the hard stares. He tried to instigate a conversation, but none of them would have it.

Pandora noted. "Your appearance is far too flashy. It makes my eyes burn."

"What?" Torch examined his clothing. "They seem okay to Torch."

Scribe stated. "Your habit of talking about yourself in third person is annoying."

"Talking in third person?" Torch tilted his head to the side. "Torch has no idea what you mean."

Colossus roared in laughter. "It's just like old times."

Smo turned to Phantom. "I think you used Master Torch as an outlet for their anger."

Phantom gained a look of fake outrage. "That is… not false."

"You are most definitely a cold and heartless person!" Bi cried.

Phantom shrugged. "I never said how he would cool down the situation."

Smo and Bi bowed their heads in shame. Because of their negligence, their master was in trouble. They were bad minions…

"Don't worry, I'll help him." Phantom walked up to the others and waved. "Hey."

"Danny." Pandora smiled. "It's good to see you."

"Phantom!" The Ghost Writer adjusted his glasses. "I've heard of your recent exploits. Your life would make an excellent story."

"Pandora, Scribe, nice to see you." Phantom nodded to each ghost as he addressed him/her.

"What?" Torch seemed outraged. "Why was Phantom greeted so welcomingly, when Torch was criticized?"

"I'm just a lot more likable than you." Phantom bluntly explained.

Torch dropped to his knees in depression.

"Master Torch, I think Phantom is wrong!" Smo cried as he flew up to encourage his master. "You are very much likable!"

"You are most definitely the most likeable person ever!" Bi exclaimed. Torch lifted his head in hope. "Well…except for this girl I'm dating…but you're second for sure!"

Torch didn't seemed encouraged by this.

Scribe ignored the fire ghost and focused on Phantom. "Can you tell me what it was like to help Desiree like that? A ghost hasn't ascended in such a long time."

"Ascended?" Phantom questioned.

"You don't know?" Pandora was surprised. She assumed that he was already told about it. "Well, considering all that has happened over the months…"

"What do you mean?" Phantom asked.

"The genie ghost ascended. She fulfilled her purpose. She's gone." Scribe smiled.

"Gone? She's dead?" Phantom face fell.

"No, dear!" Pandora smiled. "She completed her obsession. And because she had no reason to stay on this plain of existence, she moved on. She's in the true afterlife now."

"I…" Phantom didn't know how to take this. "Is that a good thing?"

"The best, child." Pandora knelt down. "Few souls actually find satisfaction in death. You gave her that. Complete satisfaction. It was a joyous occasion. I don't remember anyone ascending since…Jester."

Phantom was in shock. He helped do that?

Colossus turned his attention to the meeting hall entrance. "As much fun as I'm having, I think it would be a good idea if we entered the meeting hall. Vision has never been known to enjoy waiting on others."

"Hmm…" Scribe nodded. "You may be correct…we can talk more later."

"Yes, the meeting will start soon." Pandora noted sadly. She turned to the younger ghosts. "Torch, your…minions aren't allowed in the hall, but they can stay on the upper level." Pandora gestured to the large staircase in front of the hall entrance. "Phantom…before you enter the meeting hall, you should probably talk to this young lady."

"Young lady?" Phantom questioned as he came out of his shock. Now was not the time to think about Desiree. He had to focus on the meeting.

"I think Lady Pandora is speaking about me, Danny Phantom." Dora the Dragon Ghost stepped out from behind some decorative suit of armor. Phantom didn't even realize she was there. It appears some habits die hard, and meekness seemed to be one of them.

Before Phantom could speak, Torch jumped in between the two of them. "Hello, beautiful. Torch's name is Torch, and you would probably prefer to talk to Torch compared to DP-Hey, let go of Torch!"

Colossus grabbed Torch by his collar and pulled him toward the meeting hall entrance. They were followed by Pandora and Scribe. "Come, young Torch. Leave the girl with her protector."

"I think Master Torch is a huge flirt." Smo commented as he traveled up the stairs.

"He most definitely is a huge flirt." Bi agreed following his friend.

When they were alone, Phantom turned toward Dora and asked. "Not that I mind…but why are you here?"

Dora gained a sheepish look. "After you and your friends defeated my brother, we were free but vulnerable. I decided that in order to avoid being invaded or taken advantage off, we needed to go under the banner of an S-rank ghost.

"And because we are under this ghost's protection and have such a large amount of people, we needed to send a representative to this meeting. As the Queen, I decided it would be best for me to come." Dora explained.

"Like with Torch's minions or Pandora's servants. Only a few of them came, from what I saw." Phantom summarized.

"Yes, technically they are 'bodyguards,' but we all know that if a fight starts among the S-ranks…we'll just get in the way." Dora noted. "It is more of a show that they do have people that they look after. It will, in an ideal world, help calm the hostilities."

Phantom nodded. "So…which ghost is your realm's protector?"

"Um…" Dora blushed. "You."

"What?" Phantom's jaw dropped.

"Well, you were responsible for my brother's defeat. Everyone already assumed that we were under your protection…so I just rolled with it." Dora hung her head in shame.

Phantom sighed. He didn't like it when girls got upset like this. "I'm not mad or anything, but I wish you told me."

"That…might have been helpful." Dora fidgeted. "But with everything that you were going through. The fight with Torch, the Nocturne Crisis, Plasmius' illness, and everything else…I didn't want to add more to your plate."

"It's too late for that." Phantom frowned. "This changes my plans…"

"How?" Dora asked.

"I put everyone of my friends under Vlad's protection. He's a lot more civil and diplomatic than I am." Phantom explained. "I did this so that they wouldn't get hurt if I messed up but now…"

"Now if you mess up," Dora noted. "We'll go down with you…I…didn't think about that."

* * *

><p>"Huh?" Spirit was shocked. "What are you guys doing here?"<p>

"(We came to stand by our friend.)" Wulf stated.

"What?" Spirit didn't understand a word of he said.

After separating from Frostbite and Plasmius, the two girls entered the stairs by the meeting hall's entrance. At the top of the stairs, they found what appeared to be a waiting room. Granted ,it was the most comfortable looking waiting room. The chairs and couches were plush and comfortable. The lighting was great and there was a large television on the wall.

The room was filled with ghosts. Spirit recognized a few as Pandora's servants and Torch's minions. She also noted that ice yeti ghosts from the land of the Far Frozen were there. Spirit had expected this, though. What really surprised her was that her friends were there.

"I think that Wulf means that we're here to back up Danny." Klemper smiled.

"Aren't you under Dracula's (everyone assumed she was talking about Vlad) protection." Nyx asked. "My mom mentioned it. She said it was weird."

"No, we're here for Danny. Even if he said not to come. He's our friend." Klemper explained. Wulf nodded in agreement.

"Hmm…" Nyx seemed to respect that. She smiled. "You guys are interesting. I wish I could hang out in Amity Park more."

Spirit snorted. "You've only been there twice, and both times the city was halfway destroyed."

"You make that sound like a bad thing…" Nyx muttered.

"What about you Dora?" Spirit turned to the quiet queen ghost. She seemed very troubled. Spirit recognized the face Dora was making. It was the face of someone who made a bad mistake.

"I…have similar reasons…" Dora smiled weakly.

Suddenly a tense silence washed over the room. Everyone turned their attention to the television. It had suddenly turned on, but there was only static.

"What's going on?" Spirit asked.

"The council is starting…" Dora stated.

* * *

><p>Phantom had to admit…Vision knew how to treat her guests. All the S-rank ghosts that were already there were seated in plush chairs. The large round table in front of them was filled with food and drink. The large hall was decorated to suit royalty. If Phantom didn't know better, he would have thought that he was at a buffet rather than a dangerous meeting.<p>

There were eleven seats at the table in all. Despite this, only eight of the seats were filled. Frostbite was sitting to the left of Phantom. Scribe was sitting in front of Phantom at the other side of the table. The seat to Phantom's left was empty.

Phantom looked around the rest of the table. Only Colossus was eating. Everyone was silent. They were waiting.

He noticed that a regular sized Undergrowth, who was sitting at the left end of the table, was watching him. The plant ghost was probably still mad at him and Torch for their "fight." Yet he seemed to be ignoring the fire ghost sitting across from him. The hate was saved just for Phantom.

Oh, joy.

Looking over to his mentor, Phantom noted that the older halfa looked frustrated. The younger halfa couldn't blame him. Vision hadn't even arrived.

And speak of the devil…

The doors of the meeting hall opened with a creak. Everyone turned to look at the person entering the room. Vision had arrived.

The female ghost was wearing elegant purple robes that completely covered her body from her neck to her feet. She was wearing a purple headdress on her head, so Phantom couldn't tell what her hair was. The veil covering her face also made it difficult for Phantom to describe Vision. The only detail of Vision's appearance that the halfa could identify was her cold green eyes.

What Phantom could tell about this ghost, though, was that she was dangerous. Vision walked with complete confidence in herself. She radiated an air of being untouchable. Phantom could easily see why she was called the most dangerous of the Ancient Six. She was by far one of the most intimidating figures Phantom had ever seen.

"Welcome, my guests." Vision bowed her head to the guests in the room. "I apologize for my tardiness."

"You called this meeting Vision." The Ghost Writer glared at the female ghost. "The least you could do is show up on time."

A murmur of agreement went across the table.

"Yes, that is true." Vision walked over to the table and took a seat. "Unfortunately I had some last minute details to take care of."

"What last minute details?" Pandora questioned.

"That would be me!" The voice from the entrance of the hall caused everyone to freeze. "Yes, freeze in fear old friends."

"Fright Knight?" Colossus frowned. "Why are you here?"

"I was invited of course, General." The Fright Knight took the seat next to Phantom. The halfa eyed his old enemy. He didn't feel comfortable sitting this close to him.

"You invited the Fright Knight?" Frostbite addressed Vision.

"I did." Vision nodded.

"Torch has to question why Lady Vision would invite to this meeting the only one of the King's Advisers that didn't rebel." Torch scratched his head in confusion.

'King's Advisers?' Phantom mentally questioned. He didn't voice his thoughts, though. Now was not the time to appear ignorant.

"That was a long time ago, Torch." Vision explained. "Fright Knights has since changed his opinion on us and Pariah Dark."

"I find myself agreeing with Torch." Plasmius stated as he leaned forward and looked around the table. "Was it not the Ancient Six that sealed the Fright Knight in the first place?"

Once again there were murmurs across the table.

"You as should know better than anyone else that I have long since moved past that." Fright Knight addressed the older halfa. "You're the one that convinced me that the world no longer had any use for the Ghost King."

"He convinced you, but my epic speech didn't?" Colossus seemed surprised.

"Speech? You just threatened me." Fright Knight noted.

"There's a difference?"

"It was not just Colossus." Scribe stated. "We all tried to convince you. We used to be friends, but you decided to fight by the king and was sealed as well."

"I tend to ignore you all when I can." Fright Knight chuckled.

"Can't argue with that…" Pandora noted. "At that time, I was completely sick of all you."

Frostbite sighed sadly. "You act as if there is a difference between now and then. All it took was a war conference for us to talk again…"

"I grow tired of this!" Undergrowth finally spoke up. "I didn't come here to hear old people talk about the good old days!"

"Torch…has to agree…" Torch shrugged.

"Then perhaps we should move onto the other details as to why you were late." Plasmius suggested.

Everyone glanced at Plasmius, then turned their attention to Vision. Said female ghost inclined her head in respect. "Very good. There is one more detail…one that none of you will particularly enjoy."

"And that is?" Pandora scowled.

"Him." Vision pointed to the entrance.

The reaction was instantaneous. Everyone other than Phantom and Vision bolted to their feet in alarm. The man that stood there was the palest Phantom had ever seen. He was wearing a green cloak with the hood up only revealing his glowing green eyes.

"Spectre?"

* * *

><p>"Who's that?" Spirit questioned everyone else in the room.<p>

No one answered. They were all frozen in shock. All they were doing was staring at the television.

"Huh?" Spirit looked around. "Is this guy that bad?"

Klemper finally whispered out. "Yes…he's…he hasn't been in the Ghost Zone for a while."

"I think this is bad…" Smo the raven ghost whimpered.

"I don't get it. Is he pure evil?" Spirit questioned.

"No." Even Nyx seemed worried about this. "From the stories I head…He's the exact opposite."

"So he's the good guy? Then why's everyone afraid?" Spirit frowned.

"He's the most extreme form of 'good' in the world." Dora noted.

"Do you know him, Blondie?" Nyx turned to face Dora. "I don't think anyone else in here is old enough to know him personally. We only heard stories."

"Yes, he is…a different form of ghost." Dora frowned. "He is the spirit of vengeance. He believes in absolute justice."

"That's…bad?" Spirit was confused.

"I think so." Dora trembled. "Hundreds of years ago, he went on a rampage. He killed ghosts for minor sins. Lying, stealing, being prideful…we all lived in fear. Luckily, Colossus managed to stop him. That ghost…the Spectre was banished from this plane of existence because he can't control his impulse to punish those who have sinned."

"Why did Lady Vision invite him?" Klemper asked. "She knows how dangerous he is."

BANG! The room trembled. The furniture shook. Everyone had to struggle to stay standing.

Looking over to the television, Spirit realized what happened. Colossus was angry.

* * *

><p>BANG! The room shook after Colossus slammed his massive fist on the table. Phantom was sure that the table would crumble. However, the runes on the table glowed a green light and protected the table from the shockwave powered face.<p>

For the briefest of seconds, Phantom glanced at the runes. He suddenly realized that they weren't just for decoration. They seemed to be filled with ectoplasm that acted as a shield when activated. Apparently, Vision predicated that some violence.

Colossus's shouts drew Phantom out of his thoughts. "Are you mad, Vision?! The Fright Knight is one thing. He has proven to us by his actions that he has changed, but the Spectre? Are you trying to make this meeting fail?"

"Calm down, Colossus." The Ghost Writer frowned at the large ghost. "The Spectre isn't dumb enough to try and kill anyone while we're all here."

"This is not about intelligence." Frostbite noted. His eyes never left the Spectre. "You have proven multiple times that you can't control yourself."

"And when you do lose control…people die." Pandora gained a pained expression like she was viewing the deaths all over again.

"Pariah Dark kept me in check…" Spectre's haunting voice sent chills down Phantom's spine.

"So you blame us, now?" Colossus growled. "You were basically a prisoner under the Ghost King. After we sealed Pariah Dark, we freed you. We gave you the benefit of the doubt and you betrayed us."

"I apologize for that." The Spectre's face remained neutral. "I have since realized the problems that my actions caused. And I hold no grudges against you, although you still dislike me for giving you that huge scar."

Phantom looked over to the large scar across Colossus's body. He had wondered who could have possibly given him that scar. He had seen Colossus take hits that would kill Phantom and come out with barely any injuries. If the Spectre was that strong…Best not to pick a fight with him.

"It is not that." Colossus glared daggers at the Spectre. "You have no honor. Killing those who can't defend themselves is not honorable."

"They were guilty of crimes." Spectre noted.

"Then kill them like warriors not dogs!" Colossus shouted. "It took my full power to stop you last time. I was forced to hibernate for centuries because of that fight. This time, don't think I won't go for the kill…"

"And none of us want to see Colossus use his full power again…" Scribe noted. "It was a destructive day in history for sure…"

Arguments rang across the table. Everyone seemed angry by the knew development.

"Enough!" Vision shouted. Her voice caused every ghost to turn their attention to her. "We are here for the council of the elite not to bicker. Like it or not, Spectre is here to stay. Now, everyone sit down!"

Though the tension didn't leave, everyone took a seat. Phantom squirmed in his seat. He could feel the unconscious Haunting Auras seeping off the others.

"In that case, Vision…why are we here?" Scribe questioned.

"Yes! This is beginning to annoy me!" Undergrowth glared at Vision.

Vision noticed that all the eyes were once again on her, so she decided to speak. "A few months ago, the Ghost King was resurrected because of Plasmius."

The heads of the other ghosts whipped to where Plasmius was sitting. He merely shrugged. "It all worked out in the end."

"It did…" Vision drawled. Phantom could swear that her eyes glanced at him for a moment. "But after that, I decided that I should observe the world to see if there were any lasting consequences. It was then that I noted that the Fright Knight's change in behavior and that the Spectre had returned by sharing a body with a human."

"What?" Phantom finally spoke up. "Like overshadowing?"

"No." The Spectre shook his head. "The man was dying. He was offered the change to come back if he shared a body and consciousness with me. Technically, he and I are now the same person. He is now my humanity."

"And that humanity will keep your impulses in check." Frostbite noted.

"Yes," Spectre nodded. "That was the plan."

"And I assume you've been watching the rest of us as well…" Pandora didn't seemed pleased by that thought.

"Indeed…" As Vision spoke, green birds flew down from the ceiling. Phantom noted that they were in the rafters above. Only one was left up there. It's eyes were glowing. "These are my visual birds. I created them to keep an eye on you all. They are very useful. In fact, one of them is broadcasting this meeting to our followers as we speak."

"I've always found these birds incredible…" Scribe inspected on of the birds. "Perhaps you could give me some written work on how these things work."

"No, now look…and don't worry. You were given some privacy…" Vision pointed to the birds. From the birds eyes glowed and sent images into the air like holograms.

Phantom noted that they were all in at least one of the videos. Most of the videos were of mundane everyday tasks. There were some interesting videos, though. Pandora was training Nyx. Colossus was waking up under a huge pile of rubble. He and Torch were fighting…wait? She got a video of that?

"None of you have done anything to bad to merit this meeting…however this," All the videos shifted into one. It was an video of the Nasty Burger exploding. Phantom tensed. "And this…" The video changed into Torch, Plasmius, Colossus, and him fighting Nocturne. "Has caught the attention of the humans."

No one argues with that. All the ghosts knew that the relations with the humans were tense right now.

"And these catastrophes merit this meeting?" Frostbite questioned.

"The humans are now paranoid. If something else happens…then it could end badly for us." Vision explained.

"So some bags of flesh get angry." Undergrowth rolled his eyes. "They can't possibly hurt us."

"That is where you are wrong." Vision gestured to the changing video. It now showed the destroyed Fenton Works. Then it showed the Guys in White whispering to each other. They paused, looked at the bird, and preceded to shoot it. Then, static… "The humans pose a real threat. Even without the ectoplasmic weapons, they still have the meta humans."

Phantom frowned. "The Justice League won't attack us."

"Are you 100% sure about that?" Vision stared at the halfa.

Phantom opened his mouth, paused, then closed his mouth.

"I thought so." Vision seemed satisfied.

"So you're suggesting that we prepare for an attack?" Fright Knight questioned.

"No…I'm suggesting that we attack first."

* * *

><p>In an instant, the silence was broken. Everyone was yelling. Everyone was screaming. Spirit could barely hear her own thoughts.<p>

"Attack the humans?!"

"That most definitely won't work!"

"Is she suggesting war?!"

"She might be right…"

"Klemper, Wulf…" Spirit looked up to her friends. "Is that really going to happen."

"(Of course not!)" Wulf roared. His friend cared about the humans, so he cared about the humans.

"Danny won't let that happen." Klemper encouraged. "He will step up and speak against Vision."

"And risk making Vision an enemy?" Nyx noted.

"He doesn't have to worry about anyone other than himself, so he'll be fine." Klemper smiled.

Spirit seemed satisfied, but then she turned to look at Dora. The queen ghost was squirming. "Dora? What's wrong?"

"It's…I…Phantom won't speak up."

* * *

><p>It took a minute to calm everyone down. Phantom didn't pay attention to their arguing. He was more concerned with his problem.<p>

He had to argue against this. The humans wouldn't attack. Or at least, he wouldn't let them. But…he had a way of accidentally insulting people and saying the wrong things. With Dora and her people depending on him…he had to tread carefully.

"So that's why you called a 'war conference.' You want to initiate war with the humans." Plasmius summed up.

"Yes." Vision nodded. "It is the most logical solution to keep the Ghost Zone safe."

"Is it really necessary?" Pandora questioned. "Is there no chance for peace?"

"There is always a chance. But it isn't high." Vision explained.

"It's true that they're afraid…but will they really attack us first?" Scribe questioned.

"These Guys in White already have." The videos shifted to show the various activities of the GIW. "In fact, they have been experimenting on ghosts. Bring him out."

The doors of the entrance opened. Two cloaked figures pushed a bed into the room. On the bed was…Technus. The technology ghost was strapped to the bed. He was resisting violently. His eyes were crazed as they swept wildly through the room.

"What happened to him?" Phantom questioned.

"The humans have decided to experiment on ghosts." Vision's eyes swept across the room. "After seeing this, you all see the urgency in this matter. We need to take action."

"No…" Torch was fuming. The air around him increased in temperature. "Torch needs to get Torch's minions…and hide. Torch would love to have the glory of a war hero, but…Torch can't let his minions end up like this."

Phantom looked over to his rival in respect. That was Torch's most redeeming quality. Under the arrogance, pride, and flashiness was a man who cared for his friends. He could respect that.

"Mister Torch is correct." Frostbite looked dismal. "I will not take my people to war."

"You don't understand. Running won't work." Vision insisted calmly. "They will come for us."

"No, you don't understand, Vision." Pandora scowled. "While I would love to justify this wrong, I have a daughter to take care of. If I was injured…"

"We need to act, not talk." Spectre's voice boomed. "Tell me who did this, and I will right this wrong."

"And here we go." Colossus glared at them. "These humans may not have honor, but you are not the righteous judge of who deserves death and who doesn't."

"Says the man that will kill for honor's sake without a second thought." Spectre glared.

"And thus the fight begins…" Scribe noted. "I knew this was a bad idea."

"Would you all please calm down." Plasmius tried to appease the others.

"Don't bother." The Fright Knight readied himself for the coming battle by drawing his sword. "When they get like this…there's no stopping it."

Undergrowth laughed. "Now it's become interesting!"

Just as Colossus and Spectre were about to clash, Vision appeared in between them by flowing over the table. "Stop this. You all agreed not to fight in my home."

"Yet is seems like you prepared for a fight. You're home is well fortified." Pandora stood and looked around the room. Electricity danced around her. "Perhaps this is finally the chance to settle our differences."

"Please, friends!" Frostbite tried to calm the others down. "We do not need to turn to violence!"

"Violence is good with Torch." Torch materialized his scythe in a burst of flames. "Being in a massive rumble with so many famous ghosts will surely bring up my fame!"

Then, everyone in the room prepared for the ensuing chaos. Some had specific targets. Others were only trying to escape the fight. But everyone was now prepared for-

"Will everyone shut up!?" Phantom unconsciously sent a large wave of Haunting Aura toward the others. For a second, they faltered. Then, they looked over to the halfa. He was standing by Technus.

Looking down at the technology ghost, Phantom yelled. "You're all fighting when there's someone hurting and suffering in the room. Are you insane?! Is this honorable?! Is this just?! Have some control!"

In that moment, the threat of violence vanished instantly. Everyone lowered their weapons or glowing fists. They realized that he was right.

Vision's eyes swept over the room. She examined everyone's reactions. Their attitudes of the situation had changed in an instant. That boy had just defused a bomb without even knowing it. Vision found herself feeling impressed.

Yes…her theory was correct.

"Who did this too him? And where can I find them." Phantom turned to Vision.

"Why do you care? He's your enemy." Vision noted.

"Exactly. He's _my_ enemy." Phantom's glare could freeze boiling oil. "That means that no one is allowed to hurt him besides me."

"Very well." Vision nodded. "My servants found him wondering the Ghost Zone a few weeks ago. I brought him for treatment. All he's said was insane ramblings about white blobs attacking him and that no technology was working. He kept saying that the systems had crashed."

"I see…" Phantom once again looked Technus in the eye. He looked so scared like the walls were about to come crashing down around him.

"So tell me, Phantom. Do you not see the need for an attack?" Vision questioned.

"I will not support an massive attack on the humans!" Phantom exclaimed. "I will hunt down the men that did this and hand them over to the Justice League."

"That will solve nothing." Vision calmly noted. "The human's hatred will not stop by capturing a few fools. We need to establish dominance. Hit them fast and hard, and never let them see it coming. That is the best way to save the Ghost Zone."

"Don't you care about the humans' lives?" Phantom gritted his teeth. "They will suffer if you do this."

"It's either them or us." Vision stated. "If we don't attack, they will; and they won't rest until we're all gone."

"You don't know that!" Phantom exclaimed.

"I do, and you do too. You have experienced the cruelty of humans in your short existence. We ghosts may be selfish and cruel, but we have never tried to lie about it. We know that we're in it for ourselves, but humans lie to each other and themselves.

"They say that they are doing good, but they kill another for fun. They mock and scorn each other for even trying to succeed. They take their lives for granted and near the end, they beg for more time." Vision eyed the halfa. "You have experience all of this. Your parents even tried to kill you multiple times for being a ghost."

Phantom's eyes widened. His hands shaped into fists. He felt his temper spiral out of control. Now was not the time to get angry! Don't make her your enemy! Dora and her people could get hurt!…

Nope that wasn't working. Phantom felt his control weaken. Vision mentioning his parents like she knew them…It made his blood boil.

"You do realize that you are speaking to half-humans?" Plasmius stood in between Phantom and Vision. "I do not appreciate your words to my charge."

"You don't?" Vision seemed amused. "Do go on."

"I know what you are doing. You are baiting him. Measuring him, and I'll tell you this…" Plasmius smirked. "You're doing it wrong."

"Excuse me?"

Everyone stared at Plasmius in shock. No one could get away with criticizing Vision like that.

"You heard me, you're doing it wrong." Plasmius sighed dramatically. "Attacking the family immediately? Really? Amateur hour."

"Oh…" Vision glared at the older halfa. "You are saying…that you're better than me?"

"Um…" Frostbite looked over to the halfa. "Plasmius, I wouldn't-"

"That's exactly what I'm saying." Plasmius' face was cold as stone.

A terrifying Haunting Aura swept through the room. Outrage and annoyance filled the air. Everyone started to sweat as Vision stared at the older halfa. "I accept that challenge."

Vision turned and walked to the entrance. She yelled to her servants. "Prepare the sparring yard!"

There was silence for a moment, then everyone started to shuffle out of the room until the halfas were all that was left.

"Now this, Torch has to see."

"A fight of the ages!"

"I don't know if this is a good idea…"

"Haven't seen Lady Vision fight in ages."

The Fright Knight stopped and looked back. "I hope you know what you're doing." And with that he left.

Phantom turned to his mentor. "Why did you do that?! What about being civil and political."

"You were about to through that out the window by attacking her." Plasmius noted as he began his track to the exit. "And then Queen Dora and her people would be in trouble. This way no one is threatened by Vision but me."

"What about Dani and my friends?" Phantom questioned.

Plasmius chuckled. "I lied when I told you that they were under my protection. They've always been under your protection. You're their leader after all."

* * *

><p>The atmosphere once again changed in the waiting room. Excitement filled the once the tense room. Everyone was excited to see two S-rank ghosts fight it out…well, everyone that didn't have a personal relationship with Plasmius that is.<p>

"What is he doing!?" Spirit shouted in outrage. "Wasn't he the one that said to not make a scene?!""

"He was making sure Phantom didn't fight Vision." Dora noted.

"Because of you and your people?" Klemper questioned. "Would Vision really go to war with you over this?"

"No, but the ghosts under her protection might." Dora noted. "At the very least, they'll be hostile. Stop us from trading and growing. Once again we'll be trapped in the Dark Ages. But most likely…they would attack and force us to join their forces…at least, if Phantom lost."

"Not…if…" Wulf growled.

Everyone looked at him in surprised. It was rare for Wulf to try and speak in English. He was never that great at it, and he seemed embarrassed by it.

"What do you mean?" Klemper asked his friend.

"Friend…won't…win…" Wulf grimaced.

"Don't you have faith in him?!" Spirit pointed angrily at the wolf ghost. "He's your friend."

"It has nothing to do with faith." Nyx noted. Her eyes didn't leave the television. The image was moving so that it was following the council outside. "He couldn't win."

"Not you too!?" Sprit glared at her rival. "Danny's strong!"

"I'm not questioning that." Nyx rolled her eyes. "I respect the Upstart's strength…even if he is a boy scout. It's just that Vision has the nickname 'Undefeated Strategist' for a reason and Fluffy over there knows it."

"Danielle," Dora knelt down by Spirit. "Vision is feared for her intelligence, ability, and lack of forgiveness. There is a good chance she wouldn't hold back at all if Phantom sent the first punch."

"Plasmius saved Danny." Klemper realized. "But now he's the one in danger."

"Better…chance…" Wulf managed to get out.

"Yeah…Dad's more powerful and more experienced, not to mention a genius." Spirit nodded her head confidently. "He can definitely hold his own against Vision."

"You better hope so…" Nyx scowled. "Otherwise he's dead."

* * *

><p>Phantom looked at the training field. It was as large as a football field. The area was a dirt field. There were no obstacles like trees or other plants. The only thing that really designated it as a training field were the runes that surrounded the field.<p>

"Does she really use this?" Phantom questioned.

"Vision was never one to skip out on training." The Fright Knight noted.

They were standing by the rest of the "council." None of the others were paying attention to them at the moment, however. They were far too distracted by the upcoming fight to focus on anything else.

"And…" Phantom looked over to the knight ghost. "You two were close."

Fright Knight looked over to the other ghosts. "We all were once."

"Is that where the 'King's Advisers' came from?" Phantom questioned.

"Yes," Fright Knight addressed the halfa. "We, the Ancient Six and I, were once Pariah Dark's most trusted servants."

"You were?" Phantom was shocked.

"Indeed." Fright Knight closed his eyes as if to see his old memories. "Back then, we were all outcasts. Forsaken for our power and attitudes. Pariah recruited us under a common goal. To defeat the Despised One."

"Despised One?' Phantom was now confused.

"What is the oldest obsession of man? What consumes their subconscious thoughts? Why do they strive for immortality? Because of death, and in that ever consuming thought, the Reaper was born." Fright Knight shivered. "He was what the humans though death would be, cold, unforgiving, and ruthless. He killed just for the sake of killing. He enjoyed it, and every human he killed became a ghost that served under him.

"The Ghost King rose to stop him. With our help, he defeated Reaper and his forces. And in the Reaper's death…the Ghost Zone was created." The Fright Knight explained.

"The Ghost Zone?" Phantom questioned.

"Yes, the ectoplasm from Reaper and his forces formed to create the Ghost Zone, a separate but parallel world to the human world. It was a phenomenon that no one could possibly explain. Not that Scribe didn't try…" Fright Knight sighed. "Before that, ghosts just wondered the human world, but now they had a home, and who better to rule that world than Pariah Dark, the man that brought about this great change. He named the seven of us as his advisors. It all worked…until the power corrupted him."

"So…the Ancient Six decided to stop his tyranny, but you…" Phantom looked over to the old ghost.

"I remained loyal. I didn't matter to me if he became a monster. He was the one that originally gave me a chance. The others subdued me when I refused to cooperate, then they sealed the king. Later, they decided to seal me. I was too much of a threat." Fright Knight noted.

"You don't sound bitter…" Phantom observed.

"All that time allowed me to think things through. They did what was right. I'm just surprised that they got along long enough to actually pull it off. There was always conflict between the seven of us…six now that Jester's gone." Fright Knight bowed his head in respect. "I wonder what happened to his mirror…"

"Mirror?" Phantom asked.

"Each of the King's Advisors created a powerful item of his/her own." Fright Knight gestured to his sword. "My sword, Pandora's box, the Infimap, the Skeleton Key, the Mirror of Memories, the Tomb of the Ancients, and the Avian Necklace."

Phantom had heard of most of those objects. He would have asked more on the subject, but there was a match that he had to pay attention to. "I see…you must have been close to know all that. Tell me…what are Vlad's chances in this fight?"

"I have not gotten a proper estimate on his strength, but I would say he could rival my strength. He is cunning, too, but Vision…she is unrivaled in intelligence. Her plans are perfect." The Fright Knight explained.

"Not too perfect for this meeting, though." Phantom frowned. "Did she actually think this would work?"

"I have contacted the remaining five to inform them of my change, so I did not think my presence would cause too much discord, but the Spectre?" The Fright Knight shook his head. "He has always been a problem. For once, I agree with Colossus. That was a mistake…but Vision must believe that this will work, otherwise she wouldn't have tried. She doesn't do pointless."

"But I don't see-" Phantom never got the chance to finish that sentence.

"ATTENTION!" A bird landed on the middle of the field. With an open beak, the bird spoke like a loud speaker. The bird stood on either side of Plasmius and Vision, who were facing each other. "THE CHALLENGE IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!"

"MASTER PLASMIUS HAS INSULTED AND CHALLENGED LADY VISION." The voice boomed from the bird. "THIS BATTLE WILL DECIDE WHO IS RIGHT AND WHO IS WRONG!"

"As it should be!" Torch shouted.

"Hahahaha! Bring on the fight!" Colossus yelled.

"What ever happened to talking things out?" Frostbite sighed.

"I think that died at the start of the twenty-first century." Pandora noted.

"Are you ready, Mr. Masters?" Vision glared at her opponent.

"Always ready, Lady Vision, always ready." Plasmius smirked.

"Good." Vision's stance shifted. Several purple balls of ectoplasm formed and hovered around her. "Let's begin."

* * *

><p>(Play: Fight Like This by Decypher Down)<p>

Everyone cheered as the television showed the fight beginning. Spirit watched intently as her dad and Vision prepared themselves. And, in and instant, it had begun.

One of the many ectoplasmic balls orbiting Vision shot at Plasmius. The halfa dodged the ball, but was shocked that the ball stopped in mid-air and went back to strike him. It was then that several more balls of ectoplasm shot at the halfa.

Knowing that dodging won't work, Plasmius decided to guard. A pink shield formed around him. The balls of ectoplasm hit the shield and detonated. Fortunately, the shield stayed strong and Plasmius remained uninjured.

Just as Plasmius lowered his shield, Vision lunged at him. Her robes whirled around her. It was nearly impossible to tell what she was going to do.

Plasmius decided to attack before she could get close. He sent several blasts of energy at Vision, but the female ghost used the minimum amount of energy to dodge them. The blasts zoomed past her unflinching form.

Suddenly, Vision's speed increased. She was in front of Plasmius in an instant. Vision extended her flowing hand to blast Plasmius. Before that happened, Plasmius blocked his opponent's hand to the side. Spirit expected the purple energy to blast from her hand, but that never happened. The purple energy flowed from Vision's hand, across her body, to the only part of her face that was uncovered, her eyes.

The glowing eyes released the energy and blasted Plasmius in the face. On instinct, Plasmius covered his injured face and lunged backwards. This didn't help, however, as Vision lifted both her arms. Her finger tips glowed in ectoplasmic energy.

Each finger sent a ray of energy at the older halfa. The small, concentrated rays of ectoplasm rammed into different parts of Plasmius' body. Plasmius shouted in pain as the rays burned his body. He then created a mirror like shield to stop the ray.

The rays didn't stop, though. The arced around the shield and tried to hit Plasmius in his sides. Plasmius saw this coming, though, and rocketed up to avoid the rays. He then created nine duplicates to deal with each ray.

The duplicated raced around the field. If any got too close the sides, the runes activated and made a shield to stop him. Vision continued to make the concentrated rays from her fingers, and the rays continued to chase the older halfa and his duplicates.

Suddenly, all the duplicates raced to attack Vision. Undeterred, Vision created a bubble shield around her. None of the blasts from the older halfa and his duplicates caused any damage to the shield.

Still, the duplicates and the original raced toward the shield. They flew full speed until they were about to make contact with the shield. Then, at the last second, they avoided the shield. The rays of ectoplasmic energy didn't though. They hit the shield, but instead of exploding, the shield absorbed the rays of energy.

"All that work for nothing…" Vision noted.

"Not quite…" Plasmius smirked as flew away from the shield. The duplicates remained close to the shielded Vision, though.

When Plasmius was a good enough distance away, the duplicate all charged at the shield. As soon as a duplicate made contact, it exploded in a large burst of energy. Vision's shield shattered after the third explosion, but the last four duplicates didn't stop their suicide charge. Their detonations hid Vision from view.

"And there we go." Plasmius was obviously pleased with himself. "Are you done yet, my dear?"

The smoke cleared to show a completely uninjured Vision.

"What?!" Everyone in the waiting room yelled. That was impossible how could Vision remain unharmed without a shield?

"As I said…" Vision's voice from behind Plasmius caused him to freeze. "All that for nothing."

He was then consumed by a blast of purple energy.

"Dad!" Spirit screamed at the television.

* * *

><p>"What the?" Phantom's eye's widened as he saw the huge blast of energy hit Plasmius and drive him down to the ground. Plasmius hit the ground and caused a huge crater to form. "How did she get behind him?"<p>

"Look at the bird." Fright Knight pointed to the singe bird on the field. It had not moved from its spot, but it's eyes were glowing and looking in fake Vision's direction.

The fake Vision flickered then faded. Phantom's jaw dropped. "It was a hologram? When did that happen?"

"The real Vision was there in the beginning." Fright Knight stated. "She must have switched when we were distracted by Plasmius' dodging and duplicates."

"Boo!" Colossus yelled. "Cheating!"

"There are no rules in this fight, Colossus." Pandora noted.

"Torch sees what Lady Vision was planning. Distract Plasmius and take him by surprise." Torch nodded his head at his understanding. "But…how?"

"She used her Haunting Aura to install arrogance in Plasmius." Frostbite explained. "It is almost unnoticeable, especially to someone in the middle of a fight. This arrogance, however, cause him to underestimate Lady Vision. She used the arrogance and hologram to hide in Plasmius' blind spot and attacked from there."

"IT WAS…a rather brilliant attack…" Undergrowth admitted.

Spectre nodded. "Use the opponent's weakness as your strength. Impeccable move."

The smoke from crater slowly disappeared. Plasmius stood up and shocked the people watching the fight. Several parts of his body had developed into ecto goop. The goop…plasma…quickly reshaped into his body. He looked almost completely unharmed except for the minor injures he received before.

"He's…unharmed." Fright Knight observed.

"Yeah…" Phantom smirked. "When he turns into plasma, he's invisible."

"You knew about this ability?" Fright Knight questioned.

"I did." Phantom nodded. "He developed it while he was helping me train. Nothing I can do can harm him while he's like that. Of course…it's a completely defensive ability. Attacking isn't an option."

"And he can't use it while he's attacking." Fright Knight noted as he turned his attention back to the fight.

"…Impressive…" Vision noted as she floated down to the ground. "To form your body into plasma…to be able to avoid all possible injury…It is an impressive skill."

"Thank you." Plasmius absentmindedly wiped the dirt off his clothes. "You're pretty impressive yourself. To use energy, strategy, and Haunting Aura in such a way…I find myself awestruck."

"Thank you." Vision seemed quite pleased with this development. "But you do know that this was only the beginning."

Once again, balls of energy formed around her. This time, however, the orbs were about the size of a marble , and there were hundreds or them. Then, the balls begin to rapidly orbit around the female ghost. They moved so quickly, that they began to blur.

"I do." Pink energy swirled around Plasmius. It hovered over his body as a second skin in order to protect him.

* * *

><p>Spirit watched and cheered as her father met Vision blow for blow. The fight had been going on for a while now, but neither ghost gained the upper hand. It was at a standstill.<p>

If Vision used any of her orbiting ectoplasmic balls to attack, Plasmius merely changed into plasma to avoid the damage.

Then, when Plasmius attacked, Vision instantly blocked. The ectoplasm orbiting her formed a shield. None of Plasmius' attacks managed to land on the female ghost.

Both of the fighters were tiring, however. It was easy to see. They were using to many straining abilities. Vision seemed to be faring better, though. Constantly reabsorbing her energy allowed her to keep her stamina up.

Was that Vision's plan? Tire Plasmius out so he can't use transform into plasma?

"No…" Spirit realized.

"What?" Nyx turned to her rival.

"She's learning his fighting style. Memorizing his movements. Waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Everything she's doing is for that…"

"How do you know that?" Nyx questioned.

"I…I don't know…" Spirit admitted. "But I do. It will be over soon."

* * *

><p>Plasmius lunged backward to avoid the explosion of Vision's ectoplasm. Phantom could tell that fatigue was getting to him. Turning into plasma quickly tired the older halfa, and he was doing that a lot. Phantom didn't blame him, though. Letting Vision injury you would be disastrous.<p>

Phantom had to wonder what his mentor was planning. This strategy wasn't working. Vlad may beat him in stamina and endurance, but there was still a point where transforming into plasma wouldn't be an option. The older halfa would have to act soon.

Quickly, Vision sent another ball of energy at the halfa. This attack was different, however. That was the last ectoplasmic orb that was orbiting Vision. This time, Vlad merely batted the energy away with his own.

"Is that all, my dear?" Plasmius smirked. "You used all your little satellites."

"I did." Vision noted. "But now the air is rich with my ectoplasm."

"Huh?" Plasmius questioned. Then, his eyes widened as dozens of ectoplasmic orbs formed all around him. The following explosion hid Plasmius from view.

"She can recycle ectoplasm from the air?" Phantom was in awe. What amazing control.

"Your shock is understandable." Fright Knight noted. "Vision's control over energy is almost 100% efficient. Not even the energy released into the air is lost."

Vision formed a spike with her energy. She knew that Plasmius would use turn into plasma to avoid the catastrophic damage. From what she measured, that would be the last time he would be able to use that ability. Once he reformed, she would impale him, and it would be over.

That being said, what happened next surprised the strategist. Out of the smoke came Plasmius flying at her at full speed. He was bruised and burned. His clothes were torn and shredded. Instead of turning into plasma, he took the damage.

Plasmius' fists were completely covered by ectoplasm. In fact, they looked more like pink lights than fists. With a shout, he sent his right fist at Vision's head.

Unprepared for the attack, Vision felt pain erupt as the fist made contact. Her entire head was consumed in the blast. Her headdress and veil were instantly destroyed. Golden hair flung through the air, as it was freed from its restraints. Vision's beautiful tan face was covered in burns and bruises. The Undefeated Strategist had been struck.

Plasmius didn't stop there, however. He followed up with a similar punch to her stomach. Then, he continued his barrage of strikes to the female ghost.

Sensing danger, Plasmius lunged to the side, but it wasn't fast enough. The spike Vision had created grazed his side and opened a large gash. Green blood began to drip out.

Knowing that he couldn't stop without losing ground, Plasmius continued to push on. He sent strike after strike at the strategist. Vision merely dodged each blow and several kicks of her own at Plasmius' unprotected side. None of which made contact.

This continued until Vision sent a blast of energy from her eyes. Plasmius retaliated by sending an arc of energy at Vision's midsection. Both blasts hit and pushed the opponents away from each other.

Phantom noted that his mentor looked exhausted. Sweat was poring down his body. He was holding his bleeding side. In all, he looked terrible.

Vision didn't look that much better, though. She was bruised and hurting. But the weird part was…she looked oddly satisfied, like she found an equal.

Vision stuck her hand out. Her energy formed around her hand. The energy came off her hand and formed a small blade covering her hand.

Vlad also formed a blade. His pink energy formed into a broad sword like he showed Danny how to do.

The two ghosts lunged at each other. They were ready to end this.

* * *

><p>"No!" Spirit yelled above the others. "They'll kill each other!"<p>

"That's the point of the fight." Nyx noted. "The winner is the person who survives.

"That's terrible!" Spirit turned to her friends. "We have to stop them!"

"We can't leave this room." Klemper frowned. "That's the rules. If we leave, we might be killed."

"So I should just stand here while my dad is killed!?" Spirit turned to the screen. "Danny, you're there! Stop them!"

* * *

><p>Phantom watched as the various cuts appeared on the fighters. Neither of them was letting up, though. "If they keep this up, they'll die!"<p>

"Perhaps…But they will die in the glory of battle." Fright Knight noted.

"Finish the fight with honor!" Colossus yelled.

"We have to stop this!" Phantom exclaimed.

"This is between the two of them." Torch noted. "Torch won't get involved."

"I don't interfere in life and death situations." Scribe explained.

"Nothing can be done…" Pandora noted sadly.

"Unfortunately, it's impossible, Great One." Frostbite frowned. "These runes were designed to stop anyone from interfering. And it would take to long to break them."

"Well, you don't know my talent for breaking things then." Phantom took a deep breath and shifted into a deep stance.

"What are you do-"

**OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**

Phantom's Ghostly Wail rang through the clearing. Everyone cringed in pain. Even Vision and Plasmius stopped and writhed under the wail of death.

The runes activated and caused the walls to appear. At first, that was all that happened, but after a few seconds, the wall began to cracks. Then the cracks began to spread. In mere moments, the cracks had spread completely across the walls. Finally, the walls shattered. The runes dissolved.

Everyone looked on in shock. None of them had seen the Ghostly Wail. It's power was truly devastating.

"This fight is over!" Phantom marched onto the field.

"That is not for you to decided." Although her veil was gone, Vision's face gave away about the same emotion as when she was wearing the veil.

"It is now!" Phantom turned to the others. "There will not be an attack on the humans! At least not yet! If they prove to be a threat, then I'll be the first one to say to strike first."

"…Very well…" Vision smiled like this is exactly what she wanted. "I will hold you too that." She turned to the other S-rank ghosts. "Thank you all for coming! The council meeting is now over! I would recommend that you prepare yourself for the inevitable war! It will be happening very soon whether we attack first or not!"

There was silence. No one moved at first, then Colossus turned. Without a word, he left. Soon, the others began to head back inside as well. The last one to go was the Fright Knight. He stared at Phantom for a minute, then he too left.

"Just like that? It's over?" Phantom questioned.

"Yes, the message has been delivered. The stage has been set." Vision noted. "They know that there is nothing left to do here."

"You didn't want to decide on an attack plan?" Plasmius questioned.

"No, they wouldn't have agreed on anything today." Vision explained. "Now they will go and prepare. That is enough."

"Couldn't you just try to convince them?" Phantom questioned.

"That would have been pointless. And I do not do pointless." Vision stated.

"Is that why you didn't invite Clockwork?" Phantom asked.

"Yes, he wouldn't have come. So there was not point." Vision explained.

"Then why have this meeting?" Plasmius questioned.

"Because…they would die if I hadn't." Vision answered simply.

Both halfas were shocked by that answer. They weren't expecting the cold Vision to say that.

"You…care for them." Plasmius noted.

"Well, I don't want them to die." Vision pouted.

Phantom raised an eyebrow at that. Okay…his initial reading of her was completely wrong. "But…you wouldn't lie about wanting to attack first."

"It wasn't a lie." Vision noted. "Eventually the humans will become hostile."

"You said that the other S-rank ghosts wouldn't agree to attack, though." Plasmius pointed out.

"They wouldn't today. But later, if someone they all know, trust, and respect says that attacking would be advisable…then they would all prepare for war." Vision eyed Phantom.

"You…wanted me to stand up to you." Phantom realized. "If I agreed to fight if the humans become hostile, then the others might follow my lead."

"Yes…except maybe Undergrowth, but I can handle him." Vision smiled. "The others, however, will trust your judgment. They have too much difficult history with me, but you…I haven't seen them all respect someone so much since Pariah Dark."

Phantom didn't know how to respond to that.

"Find your resolve, Phantom." Vision gave the halfa a kind look. "You shall unite us all and bring about change to the Ghost Zone."

"I…I don't…." Phantom was speechless.

"Now…" Vision turned to Plasmius. She had a weird gleam in her eyes. "We may not have been able to finish our fight, but how about we get our injuries healed and have a good game of chess to decide the winner."

"That sounds wonderful." Plasmius held out his arm, which Vision gracefully accepted. "You simply must tell me how you switched with that hologram."

"Only if you explain the mechanics of turning into plasma." Vision smiled.

"Of course, tell me, do you enjoy tea?" Plasmius asked.

"Oh, I adore it." Vision noted. "I'll have a few servants bring some to our game."

"Excellent." Plasmius smirked.

Phantom just stood there and watched them go. "What the…"

* * *

><p>"Dad!" Spirit ran up to her father. He was currently walking arm in arm with Vision.<p>

"Danielle!" Vlad smiled. "Good to see you, baby girl."

"Your fight was amazing!" Spirit yelled.

"Thank you, but it takes two to tango." Plasmius looked over to Vision.

"You flatter me." Vision giggled.

Spirit exclaimed. "It was amazing when you…wait, did you just giggle?"

"I suppose I did." Vision nodded.

"Danielle," Plasmius addressed his daughter. "Why don't you go find Daniel. I need to have a word with Lady Vision."

"It can be just Vision for you Plasmius." Vision noted as they walked off.

"Then, please, call me Vlad." Vlad smirked.

Spirit's jaw dropped. "What the…"

"That's what I said." Phantom walked up to his sister.

"Are they…"

"Yep."

"When did…"

"I don't know. I think it happened during the fight."

"Oh…eeeeeeeewwww! Old people love!" Spirit gagged.

Phantom laughed. "I think it's more of attraction than anything."

"You're not helping!" Spirit moaned.

"Not trying to." Phantom explained. "Now come on, let's go find the Wulf and Klemper."

"You knew they were here?" Spirit asked.

"Of course, it was obvious that they wouldn't listen to me." Phantom noted. "Good thing, too. I'm gonna need their help."

"What for?" Spirit asked.

"We're taking Technus to the mansion. We're going to help him recover and find out who did that to him."

* * *

><p>Omake: Wrong place, wrong time<p>

(Thursday-April 2, 2010)

"Are you ready for our rematch, DP?" Torch smirked at his rival. "Because Torch is ready to go."

"Do we really have to do this now?" Phantom sighed. "We have the stupid meeting in a few days."

"Then this is the best time to settle this!" Torch shouted as he waved his scythe around. "Torch says to get it out of the way!"

"Fine, fine…" Phantom mumbled. He formed an ice sword and prepared himself. "Just make sure we stay high above the city. Don't want anyone else getting hurt."

"Torch agrees." Torch instantly burst into flames. "This is between Torch and DP only!"

Rumble! The below them split open. A venues fly trap rose from the concreter. It opened to show a brain and eyes. Suddenly, crass and fines rapped around it to form a body.

"RAW! Flesh dwellers! You have caused pain to my children once too often!" The plant ghost reached down and picked up a fallen tree. "Now you too shall know pain. The pain of…UNDERGROWTH!"

"Hey moron!" Torch yelled down to Undergrowth. "Your timing sucks! Torch and DP are in the middle of something! Come back in half an hour!"

"Fool! I shall tear apart this city and all the sacks of meat in it! My vengeance will be swift and immediate!" Undergrowth growled.

"Look!" Phantom shouted at the plant ghost. "I'll gladly kick your ass, but come back tomorrow. Today, I'm kicking the hot head's ass!"

"Yeah!…hey, wait a minute!" Torch growled. "Torch will be doing the ass kicking today!"

"Pathetic ghosts!" Undergrowth screamed to the heavens. "Your conflict means nothing to me! In fact…" Undergrowth's hands formed into spiked clubs. "I will make you into mulch."

"…" Phantom was silent.

"…" Torch was silent.

"Truce?"

"Truce."

(…Five minutes later…)

"I…surrender…" Undergrowth moaned in agony from his spot on the ground. While he could regenerate perfectly, he could still feel pain, and right now, it was just too much. The fight had been so taxing, it caused him to shrink to the size of a shoe.

"You really shouldn't have picked a fight with us." Phantom commented as he lifted the tiny Undergrowth from the ground.

"Yeah, you stupid idiot!" Torch seethed. "Torch's fire powers and DP's ice powers dominated you!"

"Oooohhhh…" Undergrowth groaned in pain. "Have…mercy…"

"Whatever…" Phantom used a Fenton Thermos to capture Undergrowth. "Now where were we?"

"Torch was in the middle of beating you." Torch pointed his scythe at Phantom.

"You wish…"

* * *

><p>DeletedAlternate Scenes

(I wanted to include these in my story, but they wouldn't fit)

(#1. Futurama Reference)

"It was nice of you to allow the council of the elite to meet in your domain, Neutral Ghost." Pandora smiled at the grey ghost as they stood outside the pure grey meeting hall.

"Yes," Scribe nodded. "But please tell me…what is your opinion on this meeting?"

The simple grey ghost wearing grey robes showed no emotion on his face. "I have no strong feelings one way or the other."

(#2 Breaking The Fourth Wall)

"Why are you here?" Spirit glared at her rival.

"Because the author wanted to have all his OC's in one chapter." Nyx sighed. "I seriously wish he would just skip this part and go to where Danny joins the team."

"You and a third of the people reading this." Spirit noted.

(#3 The Good Excuse)

"Is that why you didn't invite Clockwork?" Phantom asked.

"No," Vision shook her head. "He said that was too busy playing Grand Theft Auto V."

"It's 2010! That game doesn't come out for 3 years!" Phantom exclaimed.

"Not for him. He controls time." Vision explained. "Lucky SOB..."

* * *

><p><strong>Yes, the DC character was the Spectre. No one guessed it. He's one of the strongest characters in DC universe. He's beaten Superman and Captain Marvel. No joke. He's going to play his part later. If you haven't seen the DC showcase on him, look it up on Google. It's pretty good.<strong>

**About Reaper...in a world where ideas take a life of their own, don't you think that the thing that is always looming over people's heads would become a ghost? Reaper is, in fact, dead. Killed long ago, but his power did become the Ghost Zone, so his presence lingers...Also, there's a twist to the Reaper's existence that won't be revealed for a while.**

**The King's Advisers was actually my first idea. The Ancient Six just stemmed from that. I was always planning to have the Fright Knight to appear, and not as a villain. Unfortunately, all I know about his personality is that he's dark and has a thing for drama...I assume by his entrances at least.  
><strong>

**Thank you all for reading and please remember to...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	16. Storms

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Anyone who says they're not afraid at the time of a hurricane is either a fool or a liar, or a little bit of both."

Anderson Cooper

* * *

><p>Chapter 16: "Storms"<p>

(Monday-April 26, 2010)

"…and this Danny Phantom. He acts like he's the one protecting people from ghosts, but why is it that this ghost problem only started because of him!? Phantom arrives in Amity Park and then reports of ghost attacks begin to happen!

"Is this merely coincidence? I think not. Phantom is the cause of all this controversy. This little ghost boy lets these disasters happen to gain attention and to be called a hero. And folks, that doesn't sound like a hero to me.

"Thus when the UN passes the Anti-Ectoterrorist Act, I suggest that Phantom be the first ghost apprehended. He's caused more damage than any other ghost, and, from the reports, was a factor in the Nasty Burger incident and the Nocturne Crisis. In my opinion-" Danny turned off the television in the living room.

Grumbling into his Fenton Phones, he noted. "Harriet…your boss is an ass."

Harriet sighed. _"I know…_"

G. Gordon Godfrey had been ranting about the ghost subject for days now. He spoke passionately how the ghosts were a danger to humans. Danny had to admire his conviction…if he didn't come off as a jerk. The reporter seriously didn't like Danny Phantom.

Not to say that he didn't make good points. Ghosts had come closer to taking over the world than most super criminals ever had. Each ghost had terrifying powers that no normal human could naturally fight against. In all, ghosts actually could be a threat. Thus the reason for the Anti-Ectoterrorist Act.

In actuality, the Anti-Ectoterrorist Act was dozens of propositions and bills. Many of them had similar meanings and complicated wording, but Danny understood one thing. If the Anti-Ectoterrorist Act was passed, then it would be illegal for a ghost to leave the Ghost Zone and stay in the human world.

Vlad had known about the propositions for a while, but knew that it was originally kept secret and would likely would not be passed. Danny had been confused as to why Vlad didn't tell Danny, but Vlad merely stated that he had enough to worry about.

Well…that was true, but Danny wasn't worried about the Anti-Ectoterrorist Act, however.

For one, Batman didn't seemed concerned by it either, and that is how it should be. The consequences of breaking the act were minimal at worst. The ghosts would be captured and sent back to the Ghost Zone. The Dark Knight even stated that the Justice League would make sure that this act would be properly withheld.

In addition, the actuality of the bill being passed was almost none. While everyone was afraid of ghosts, no one wanted to waste time or money to capture ghosts that mostly staid out of the way. That was what the heroes were for, of course.

Finally, if the Anti-Ectoterrorist Act was passed…then Danny would be relieved. The whole reason he became Danny Phantom was to stop the ghost attacks. If there was no ghost attacks…then there was no use of Danny Phantom.

He could happily retire from ghost hunting and finally work on his own personal problems. He could live a normal life. He could put everything relating ghosts in the past for good.

Now that was a pleasing thought.

"_Are you mad that I work for him?"_ Harriet questioned.

"Naw," Danny admitted as he fazed down into the lab. "I understand your reasons, and the guy has the right to say whatever he wants. Not like he's talking about me." 'At least my human half.'

"_He knows that he would lose his best source on ghosts if he talked about you." _Harriet chuckled.

Danny had to wonder, would that because she would quit, or because Danny would stop giving Harriet information. Personally, he didn't care if someone in New York slandered his ghost identity. He's had worse publicity moments for sure. And if it was to help a friend…it was worth it. Danny just questioned how good of a friend Harriet was.

"_So, what have you been up to kiddo?"_ Harriet asked kindly. They hadn't talked in a while.

"Oh, not much. Same old, same old…" That was a lie. Things had not been the same lately.

Taking in Technus was more difficult than he thought it would be. The tech ghost was seriously disturbed. Luckily, the nice room he was in and the comforting atmosphere appeared to be helping him. The surrounding technology seemed to be helping as well. Every day, he calmed down more.

They even managed to get an ectoplasm sample from him. After analyzing, the sample the halfas found out something very disturbing. There was an abnormality that could be compared to…Scarecrow's fear toxin. One that could, at least temporarily, work on ghosts.

This left Danny in a complicated situation. He should tell Batman, but that would cause him to explain a lot of details that he didn't want to explain. It was difficult to leave details out while talking to the Dark Knight. Danny was worried that he would spill the beans about the council of the elite, and that was something Danny wanted to avoid.

Imagine what the Batman would do if he learned that the entire Ghost Zone was secretly preparing for war. He would prepare for that scenario himself. He'd try to do everything in his power to avoid a war, of course, but if the Ghost Zone knew that the Justice League was ready to go to war…Everyone would rally behind Vision and attack the human world.

No, that wasn't an option. Plus, he didn't have any real proof that Scarecrow had anything to do with it. From Technus' mumblings about white blobs, Danny assumed that the Guys in White were behind this. They could have modified the fear toxin, so why should Danny create a catalyst to duel world conflict if he wasn't completely certain.

…He'd just have to wait until Technus was completely better to get the complete truth…

"_Sounds boring." _Harriet noted.

"Well, you know my life…" Danny fazed into the secret vault. "Completely boring…"

The vault could be divided into four sections. The first section was the shelves of guns. Nothing too out of the ordinary for Danny. Ecto-pistols, bazookas, a few Fenton Thermoses, and the Fenton Peeler 2.0 were some basic examples. There were some notable things like the Fenton Gatling Gun (Danny made sure to mount that on a pedestal.) But nothing too extreme.

The next section were more ghostly in origin. There was a large container that held a few objects. From left to right, the objects were a giant axe, an amulet, a broken scythe, a curved purple horn, a large spear, and a simple key that Vlad gave him. To most people these items might appear like gothic items, but Danny knew their real powers and origins.

The third section was the most dangerous of the sections. There were only two items there, the Fenton Exoskeleton and the Fenton Combat Suit. Danny had figured out how to use the suit to boost his combat skills, but there were far more bugs to work out.

Finally, the last section was a simple computer. This computer had Danny's secret files. Ghost profiles, weapon designs, and combat strategies were all in there.

This last section was what Danny cared about right now. The computer also had his parents encrypted files on them. These files held information on them about the weapons that even the Fenton's thought were too extreme. Weapons like the Exoskeleton and the Anti-Ectoplasm missile they sold to the GIW, and these files most likely were copied and taken during the Destruction of Fenton Works.

Both Danny and Vlad tried to crack them, but Maddie Fenton was an excellent programmer. It took some time, but they managed to get everything but one weapon. Everything else was either too unstable or harmful to make and use, but that last thing worried them.

The Necromancer. They had no idea what it was or what it did. All they knew was that is an extremely dangerous weapon for an enemy to have.

Slumping into the chair, Danny once again tried to crack the file…unfortunately he sucked with computers. "And what about you Harri? What's up with your life?"

"_I thought….me that….brat." _Danny could barely make out Harriet's voice.

"What was that?" Danny questioned. He was in the vault, but the dish on the mansion made it possible to talk in the secluded place. Usually, this didn't happen.

"_I said…think that….static….eaking up…snow storms…" _Harriet's voice barely made it through the Fenton Phones.

"Snow?" Danny questioned. "It's April."

"…." Danny lost the signal.

"Well, that was weird." Danny mumbled as he canceled the call.

Boom! Rumble!

The room shook as terrifying thunder sound rumbled through. Danny fell to the ground in his surprise. He was technically in an underground bunker. What could possibly shake this place?

* * *

><p>Boom! Rumble!<p>

Dani looked up from her text book. She frowned as looked out the window. The storm outside was truly a sight to see. The darkened sky, flashes of lightning, and powerful gusts of wind startled even Dani.

The unusual part was that the weather was supposed to be nice today. Then, out of nowhere, a terrible storm hits. That's what she gets for trusting the weatherman. She really wanted to enjoy the nice spring weather.

"This storm is rather unexpected." Rachel noted from the desk beside Dani. "It seemed to form out of nothing."

Dani nodded in agreement. She was not meteorologist, but this seemed weird.

"Alright children." Mrs. Crabb announced from the front of the class. "Back to work. It's just a little storm."

Dani disagreed with that. The storm seemed pretty bad. Each lightning bolt seemed to get closer to the school. All the trees looked ready to topple over due to the force of the wind. In fact, that thing off to the side almost looked like a…

Beep! Ring! Woo! Beep! Ring! Woo!

The tornado alarm blared in the room. Many of the students covered their ears from the noise. Dani and Rachel merely shared a look. They were right.

"You know the drill!" Mrs. Crabb yelled over the alarm. "Out in the hall, and head towards the lower levels! Keep your heads tucked in!"

They had several tornado drills over the year, but the drills were nothing like real life. There was no single file line. People tried to pore out the door. Both Dani and Rachael stayed near the back to avoid being trampled.

Dani felt conflicted about what to do. Usually, if there were emergencies, she could sneak off. Mrs. Crabb wasn't the most attentive teacher, especially in this swirling mess, but now…she looked over to her friend. Rachael would notice if she left.

That meant that she couldn't go and help keep people safe from the tornado. No Spirit to the rescue today. If only she could used duplicates…

Oh, well. Things like this happened all the time. The people would take shelter and survive. Most likely, there would only be property damage.

Just then, the windows shattered as the students were heading towards the down stairs. Everyone dropped to the ground and screamed as wind streamed through the room. Some people were actually lifted a little off the ground by the force of the wind.

"Well, crap." Dani mumbled. She just had to be wrong.

* * *

><p>After realizing that the rumble was because of the storm, Phantom had immediately went out to help get people safe. Mostly, he had been getting people from the cars inside via crowd control. There were a few disasters he prevented such as falling trees and car crashes, but in all, it was going well.<p>

It was rather awkward flying in the wind, but turning intangible helped with that. Intangiblity also prevented the lighting from striking him in midair. Whet really worried Phantom, though, was what seemed to be a tornado. He had to get people safe from that.

"Go get inside!" Phantom yelled as he directed the people. Several duplicates were assisting in the task. After he was done with this area, he'd head to the schools. With any luck, Dani had already made sure everyone was safe.

"Alright." Phantom reabsorbed the energy from the duplicates. "Time to-AAHHH!"

The wind seemed to almost form a hand as he was pulled high into the sky. Phantom struggled to escape the wind, but failed to break the hold. He was just about to turn intangible, when the wind finally stopped pulling.

Phantom now floated high above the city. He could see the all the destruction caused by the storms. Crushed cars, high floods, broken windows…how did all this happen so quickly?

"SO YOU'RE THE ONE THEY CALL…huff…DANNY PHANTOM!" Phantom noticed that the tornado stopped and revealed a large green ghost.

The ghost was wearing a black vest with a lightning symbol like the Flash, except that it larger, backwards and more pronounced. His huge arms and forearms were covered by black gloves. Instead of legs, the ghost had a twister tail that was constantly spinning. Phantom noted the ghost also had red eyes, sharp teeth, and lighting bold ears.

"It depends who's asking!" Phantom roared over the wind.

"DON'T YOU KNOW?!…huff…YOU'RE SPEAKING TO VORTEX!…huff…THE PERFECT STORM PERSONIFIED!" Vortex grinned at his introduction.

"What's with the heavy breaking?" Phantom mocked. "Darth Vader fan?"

"OH HARDY…huff…HAR!" Vortex formed a layer of clouds below him. He laid down sideways on the clouds and propped his head up with his arm. "I HEARD THE OLD GEEZERS' NEW FAVORITE WAS A JOKSTER!"

"Old geezers? That doesn't narrow anything down!" Phantom noted.

"THE ANCIENT SIX…huff…CLOCKWORK…huff…THE OBSERVANTS…huff…THEY ALL SEEMED CONCERNED WITH YOU….huff…IT'S SOMETHING WE HAVE IN COMMON!" Vortex grinned.

"That's probably where the similarities end!" Phantom exclaimed.

"HEHEHEHEHE!" Vortex bellowed as he sat up. "YOU'D…huff… BE SURPRISED BY OUR SIMILARITES!"

"Doesn't matter to me!" Phantom shouted. He had to squint to keep seeing through the wind. "Why are you here, Vortex!?"

"THIS IS JUST…huff… A STOP IN MY TORRENT…huff…OFF DESTRUCTION." Lighting blasted all around Vortex. "I DECIDED TO SAVE YOUR TOWN FOR LAST ON THIS SIDE OF THE GLOBE!"

"What?…" Phantom mumbled to himself. He remembered that Harriet said something about snow storms, but… Well, now that he thought about it, the G. Gordon Godfrey show he was watching was tapped…Man, he needed to pay attention to weather. "You've been doing this all across the western hemisphere?!"

"OF COURSE!" Vortex cheered. "…huff…AND THE EASTERN SIDE IS NEXT!"

"Do you have some reason for this?!" Danny glared.

"YES…huff…IT'S FUN!" Vortex turned into a cloud and separated into four. "JUST LIKE THIS IS GONNA BE!"

* * *

><p>The whole school seemed to be screaming. Not that anyone could hear it over the wind. Dani struggled to keep her eyes open as wind burst into her eyes. She also tried to move, but if she stood up, the wind would push her<p>

The halfa girl didn't know what to do. She would be able to move around as a ghost, but there were too many people around her. If she changed, everyone would know her secret…

"Azaroth Metrion Zinthos…" After hearing those words, all Dani could see was a swirl of black and white. Then, next thing she knew, she was in the girl's bathroom. The condition wasn't all that much better in there, though.

Suddenly, black and white energy appeared at the windows and blocked the wind from entering. Now able to move properly, Dani finally looked around. The only person close to her was Rachel…

"There, now no one will see you change." Rachel noted.

"What…just happened?" Dani questioned her friend.

"I teleported us to somewhere private so that you could change into Spirit." Rachel explained as she lowered her hood.

"Spirit?! Psh! As if! I mean, look at her! And that hair!? And…" Dani chuckled lamely.

"Please, I know." Rachel stated as if it was obvious.

"…How?…" Dani whispered.

"I have the ability to sense energy. Magic, ectoplasm, demonic, I can sense them all." Rachel explained. "You have a light ectoplasmic signal. Nothing that would pop up on a large scale radar, but I can tell. You're Spirit and your brother is Phantom."

"I…" Dani was in shock. "Wait! How can you sense that anyway!?"

"It's complicated and we don't have time." Rachel explained. "You need to save the others."

Dani glared at her friend. "Fine…but I expect an explanation later."

"I will try." Rachel bowed her head in shame. Her mother would not be happy with her…

"I'm going ghost!"

* * *

><p>Phantom learned something very quickly while fighting Vortex. It was a fact that he never thought about until now. He learned that you should never fight someone who can control the weather while flying hundreds of feet in the air.<p>

The wind blew at terrible speeds. Lightning rained from the sky. Hail and sleet impaired Phantom's vision.

Yeah, fighting Vortex while that high up was not a good idea.

'I have to get him lower…' Phantom thought as he dodged another lighting bolt. Deciding that now was the time, Phantom rocketed to a lower elevation as fast as he could.

"AND WHERE…huff…DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING!?" Vortex bellowed as he chased after Phantom, while at the same time, throwing balls of energy at the halfa.

"To the home field!" Phantom dodged the balls of energy and stopped right above the city. He didn't want to get too low and get the civilians involved.

"FOOL! THIS ENTIRE PLANET…huff…IS MY HOMEFIELD!" Vortex sent a cyclone at the halfa.

Phantom tried to dodge the cyclone, but the force of the wind began pulling him in into the cyclone. The halfa managed to stop himself from fully getting sucked into cyclone. Unfortunatley, this left Phantom open to an attack.

"AH!" Phantom as electricity ran through his body. The pain caused him to lose his concentration, and the halfa was sucked into the cyclone.

Forming a shield around himself, Phantom managed to protect himself from the force of the wind. He then tried to force himself out of the cyclone. Using every bit of control he had, Phantom managed to fly out of the cyclone in the direction of Vortex.

"WHAT?!" Was Vortex's reaction as Phantom zoomed towards him. The halfa's speeds were drastically increased by the force of the cyclone.

"Spear!" Phantom tried to finish Vortex off quickly like he did with Nocturne.

The blow did hit. Phantom's should rammed into Vortex's midsection. The force caused the Vortex to be sent backwards and to spit out green blood. Unfortunately, Vortex managed to keep hold of Phantom and pulled him after the weather ghost as they flew back.

"YOU DARE…hufff…HIT VORTEX!" Vortex screamed. Grabbing onto Phantom with one arm, Vortex sent a wild haymaker at the halfa.

Braking the hold, Phantom easily dodged the wild punch. He then countered with an upercut to the weather ghost's ribs. Grutting in pain, Vortex swiped at Phantom again, but Phantom once again dodged.

Realizing that fighting in close combat was futile, Vortex tried to gain some distance. Phantom wouldn't let him get away, though. He stayed close and kept striking at the weather ghost.

"I get it now!" Phantom blasted Vortex in the head. "With all that power, you never learned how to fight up close and personal! You use your powers as a crutch!"

"SILENCE!" Vortex shrieked. He grabbed onto Phantom with both arms. "WITH MY POWERS…huff…I DON'T NEED TO FIGHT LIKE A BRUTE!"

Phantom yelled in pain as electricity ran through his body. He spammed and shook as he tried to overcome the pain, but the electricity made it impossible to control his body properly. "Ah!"

"LITTLE PUNK…huff…I'LL FRY YOU!" Vortex bellowed.

Phantom felt a familiar anger pulse through his body. His Haunting Aura surged out. Unfortunately, Vortex merely countered the Haunting Aura with his own. Not deterred, Phantom fought through the pain. He slammed his forehead into Vortex's face.

The result was immediate. Vortex let go of Phantom in pain. Phantom then followed up with an uppercut to Vortex's midsection. The force of the blow caused Vortex to be sent back several feet.

Phantom groaned in pain. The electricity did a number on him. He'd need to be careful from here on out. It wouldn't be good to pass out from pain in the middle of a fight.

"HAHAHAH!" Vortex laughed. Unfortunately, the laugh seemed to hurt him however, as he held his midsection. "I…huff… FINALLY GET IT NOW!"

"Get what?!" Phantom tried to stall as he gained his barrings.

"THE REASON…huff… EVERYONE IS SO INTERESTED IN YOU!" Vortex smiled. "THAT BURST OF POWER…huff… IS SO MUCH LIKE MINE…huff…WHEN I WAS YOUNGER!"

"What are you talking about?!" Phantom glared as the wind began to pick up again.

"YOUR POWER…huff… COMES FROM ANGER…huff… AND HATRED!" Vortex bellowed.

"I COULD…huff… FEEL IT JUST THEN! YOU HATED ME…huff… SO YOU GOT STRONGER!"

"You're spouting nonsense…" Phantom growled. He wouldn't be distracted by this.

"AM I?" Vortex grinned as he created a ball of concentrated storm. "OR ARE YOU…huff…IN DENIAL!"

"The first one!" Phantom rushed forward in order to stop Vortex from attacking. If he was fighting in close combat, Phantom could win.

"Ah!" The wind stopped Phantom in his tracks. He had to fight not to be thrown back.

"UNFORTUNATELY…huff…YOU HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO…huff…TO COMPETE WITH MY HATRED!" Lighting struck Phantom several times. He yelled in pain as the electricity tore through his coat and burned his skin.

"THE ORIGINAL…huff… IS ALWAYS THE BEST MODEL!" Vortex screamed as he sent the giant ball of condensed storm at the halfa.

This was the last sight Phantom had before the darkness consumed him.

* * *

><p>Spirit had long since finished saving the children in the school. She had, in addition, searched the surrounding area for anyone who might need her help. Fortunately, the storm stopped abruptly and Spirit was cleared to head back to her school.<p>

It was time to get some answers.

"I figured you'd come back…" Rachel noted. By the time the storm ended, school was over. The two girls were currently in the bathroom where Rachel originally teleported them.

"Of course." Spirit frowned. "I have a lot of questions."

"And unfortunately, I can't answer all of them." Rachel noted. "However, it's rather obvious that I am a meta-human."

"Yeah, I got that, and I understand why you didn't tell me…" Spirit stated with a frown. "I hid my secret too, but… I don't like the fact that you learned my secret so easily."

"Don't worry," Rachel explained. "I am the only person that can feel your ecto signature. It has to do with the nature of my powers. I…use demonic energy."

"Oh…" Spirit blinked. "Ok."

"You're…not scared." Rachel questioned.

"Hey, I'm a half dead girl that goes out and saves people during her spare time. Finding out that my friend is a demon isn't actually that big of a deal." Spirit chuckled.

Rachel sighed. "Only you…"

"Yup!"

"You…do realized that you can't tell anyone." Rachel stated. "Not even you're family."

"I do…" Spirit nodded. It was only fair. "Um…you didn't tell you're mom who I am?"

"No, but the situation is complicated." Rachel noted.

"It always is." Spirit sighed. "Oh, well…My situation is complicated too. We'll just leave it be for now."

Rachel cracked a small smile. "Thank you…um, you do know about the fight right? It doesn't seem like you to be away from conflict."

"Fight?! What fight!?" Spirit's jaw dropped. There is no way there was a fight! There had been no ghost attacks for weeks!

"Yeah…" Rachel held up her phone. It had a video showing. "See?"

A man with blond hair spoke. "This is Lance Thunder. The sudden storm has quickly vanished as the local hero Danny Phantom was defeated by an unnamed opponent. It appears that the ghost Phantom was fighting has left the city and has taken the bad weather with him.

"Before he left, however, the ghost blasted Phantom into a building. The entire structure crumbled around him. Luckily, the building was abandoned, however, Phantom has yet to rise out of the rumble. With the destruction caused by the storm, emergency response teams are unable to arrive on the scene, so it is unlikely that help will arrive for the hero until his sidekick Spirit…"

"I'm not his sidekick!"

"Focus, please…"

"…waiting patiently for…Hey, you kids! Stay away from there! It's dangerous! What?…I can't stop them! I'm weatherman for Pete's sake!"

"I can't believe that I missed a fight!" Spirit growled.

"And your brother is hurt…" Rachel added.

"That too!" Spirit raced out of the room.

Rachel stood there for a moment, then a small smile formed. "Thanks again…"

* * *

><p>"Is he okay?"<p>

"No! Does it look like he's okay?"

"Just asking."

"Look at him! He looks like hell!"

"He's not breathing."

"He's a ghost."

"Do ghost's breath?"

"I don't know, but they obviously bleed. Look at that cut on his forehead."

"Put preasure on it!"

"How can he bleed if he's a ghost?"

"I don't know, why don't you go ask Fenturd!"

That was the noise to which Phantom woke up. He groaned as he felt his body ache. What happened?

"He's awake!" Starr's voice caught Danny's attention.

"Oh…so I don't get to give him CPR?" Danny heard Paulina ask.

Confusion ran through Danny's mind. Why was he hearing girls' voices? He wasn't having one of those dreams was he?

"Holly crap!" Dash's voice yelled. "Where did the fog come from?"

"Is the ghost back?" Kwan's voice asked.

Ghost? What ghost…Vortex!

Phantom instantly sat up. He looked around in panic. A large gust of wind came by and blew the fog away.

Phantom stood and prepared him self for Vortex's attack. The wind kept blowing, but Vortex never attacked. Slowly, Phantom began to calm down. Vortex wasn't the type of being to hide instead of openly mocking.

As the wind died down, Paulina asked. "Mi amor? Are you okay?"

"Yeah…Vortex is gone…" Phantom sighed as his body pulsed in pain. His body felt heavy. Yet somehow, he was still in ghost form. Usually when he passed out, he transformed back into a human. Maybe he was just getting tougher.

"But you're bleeding man!" Kwan pointed to the cut on his forehead.

"And look at those burns…" Dash looked at the halfa's back and chest. They were covered in third and second degree burns.

"Tch…" Phantom forced ectoplasm into is wounds. Slowly, they began to knit back together.

"Woah…" Star noted.

Phantom looked at the group before him. It wasn't just the A-listers. Several of the students from Casper High were watching him in concern and awe. Behind them, were a large group of people…almost half the city it seemed like.

"Hey, spook!" Phantom heard Red Huntress' voice call above him. "I heard you were in some trouble."

"That was earlier." Phantom noted in annoyance. He never noted as the clouds above began to stir. "I could have used your help."

"I was busy evacuating people." Red Huntress landed beside him. "Though I would have preferred to fight the ghost."

Phantom just grunted.

"Why did the ghost just leave?" Phantom heard Jenifer ask. He had to fight not to acknowledge her like he usually did as Fenton.

"He beat me. That's what he wanted here." Phantom glared down at the ruble where he used to be. "Did you dig me out?"

"Yeah, we couldn't leave you there man!" Kwan exclaimed.

"Thanks…" Phantom nodded to them. "I owe you one."

"We owe you like a hundred." Dash noted.

With that, Phantom and Red Huntress began to fly off. After they were out of hearing range, Phantom noted. "I really didn't believe that they were actually acting nicer."

"It's no where near perfect now, but they're trying." Red Huntress explained. "But more importantly, what happened with that ghost?"

"It…" Gasp! A blue wisp came out of his mouth.

"Danny!" Spirit flew up to him. "How could you have a fight on the other side of the city and not tell me! You jerk."

"I was a little busy…." Phantom mumbled in slight anger. "And now I have to find Vortex for some payback…"

Boom! Rumble!

All three heroes prepared themselves for an attack. Was Vortex back?

"What was that?" Red Huntress asked.

"It was Phantom losing control over his emotions." An echoing voice sounded around the heroes. Suddenly two ghosts appeared. They looked like giant green eyeballs wearing white robes.

"Who are you?" Phantom asked defensively. He was too tired to fight these unknown ghosts. He needed to rest first.

"We are Observants." The now identified Observants stated.

"Who?" Red Huntress questioned while readying herself for a fight.

"The eyes of the Ghost Zone…" Phantom frowned. "What do you want?"

"For you to recapture Vortex." The Observant on the right noted.

"And that's what were going to do…" Spirit mumbled in an annoyed voice. She didn't need someone telling to do something she already planned to do.

"You will try, but you will fail." The Observant on the left stated.

"Says who?" Red Huntress questioned.

"Fate…" Observant one turned to look at Phantom. "With your uncontrolled power, you'll just kill yourself."

"Uncontrolled power? My ice powers and Haunting Aura are fine." Phantom felt insulted. Rain gently began to fall from the sky.

"Not those…" Observant two motioned to the sky. "The power you absorbed from Vortex."

"Absorbed? How is that possible?" Phantom questioned.

"Because you are similar. Because you are both touched by death." Observant two explained.

"Touched by death? Ghosts can absorb each others powers?" Red Huntress questioned.

"No, only ghosts that are meant to die." Observant one mentioned.

"Is that a threat?" Spirit grinned. After missing such a big fight, she was itching for combat.

"No, it is a fact. Vortex's execution was scheduled for today." Observant two explained.

"I heard about that. I figured you just messed it up, and he escaped." Phantom chuckled lightly.

"It was not our fault!" Observant one exclaimed.

"It was the Witch Boy!" Observant two growled.

"Klarion?" Now that got Phantom's attention.

"Yes, he freed Vortex. Pandora is furious that he came into the Ghost Zone again…" Observant one shivered.

"But he is still meant to die. He cannot escape it. We may have been wrong before, but people who are meant to die will die." Observant two placed a hand on his companion's shoulder.

"And so am I?" Phantom frowned.

"No." Observant one shook his head…eye. "You were already meant to die, but lived. A miracle that only has happened enough times to be counted on one hand."

"Hmm…" Phantom eyed the other ghosts. There were plenty of moments where he was close to death. They didn't have time to go over them all. They probably meant his transformation into a halfa anyway. "Whatever, I really don't care about that. So I have Vortex's powers?"

"A small portion, yes." Observant two nodded. "It is enough to be a handicap, though."

"What does that mean?" Spirit asked. "More power is good."

"Not when it can't be controlled." Observant one squinted its giant eye. "Vortex's abilities are controlled by his emotions. His hatred."

"He mention…yelled that." Phantom frowned at the memory. Vortex said that he was the same. The wind began to pick up again.

"You see. Everything you feel will influence the fight. And your ability to control your hatred in battle is nonexistent." Observant two noted. "You will destroy yourself in moments."

"Hatred?" Red Huntress looked over at Phantom.

"It was the same reason that Vortex has always been watched by us…by Clockwork…by the Ancient Six." Observant one explained. "He was a risk to begin with, but originally he was fine. His hatred eventually consumed him, however, and he fell into madness."

"You will either need to wait for you power to fade in a few hours or control it long enough to defeat Vortex." Observant two looked down to the earth. "The first option is not a real option. Thousands…millions will die. So you will have to control your emotions like how you use your ice powers."

Phantom felt his friends eyes on him. While he didn't want them to know about his emotional problems, he had bigger fish to fry. "That's why you're here. You are going to tell me how to use my temporary powers to defeat Vortex."

"We rarely directly interfere, but this is our matter to begin with. The Ghost Zone has spoken." Observant two sighed. "And to ask you nonetheless…how humiliating."

"But Clockwork was right. You are necessary. If you're gone then both the human world and the Ghost Zone are doomed. We did the math. You're influence is needed." Observant one closed its eye. "So we will tell you this…remember why the sky cries."

"What?" Phantom raised an eyebrow.

Observant two continued on. "And in the trials to come after today…remember that people are watching…remember that fear is not evil…remember your responsibilities…and remember to forgive."

"Wait!"

"Don't forget." And with that, they were gone

* * *

><p>"So this Vortex is the one responsible for this." Batman's voice sounded over the intercom. "Good to know that my ectoplasmic radar works."<p>

"Yeah, it'd be hard to miss." Phantom noted. He was currently driving the Specter Speeder over the Atlantic Ocean. He, Spirit, and Red Huntress were all chasing after Vortex. The Specter Speeder was one of the few inventions that Phantom took from Fenton Works before it was destroyed. "I mean, he's controlling the weather."

"That much was obvious. These weather patterns are unnatural." Batman grunted. "Unfortuantaly, most of the League is busy saving people from the storms."

"So you're going to let me and my friends handle this?" Phantom questioned.

"No. This is too important for the League not to stay involved. We could only spare one person, though."

"Figured as much…" Phantom sighed. "Oh, well, we could use the help. Who's heading to Vortex?"

"Superman." Batman stated.

"…That'll do…" Phantom mumbled. "As long as I get my crack at Vortex. I owe that hyperventilating freak a few punches to the face."

Boom! Rumble!

"Danny! Keep it under control!" Red Huntress yelled.

"What was that?" Batman questioned.

"…Storm surge?" Phantom more asked than told.

"…Fine." Batman sighed. "Superman is already there, but he has no experience fighting ghosts. He's probably having a harder time with Vortex."

"Okay, if you can get in contact with him, tell him that our ETA is ten minutes." Phantom told the Dark Knight.

"Understood. Batman out." And with that the line was cut.

"This might be easier than we thought." Spirit commented.

"Knock on wood…" Phantom sighed. "Even the Man of Steel might have a hard time fighting the weather itself…"

"That's why we're here." Red Huntress sounded smug.

"I don't like leaving Amity Park unguarded, though." Phantom grunted out. His foul emotion caused the wind to shake the Spectre Speeder.

"Well, we're probably going to need the three of us, and with everyone else in the Ghost Zone…we're all out of luck." Spirit noted.

"Why are Klemper, Wulf, and Mr. Masters all in the Ghost Zone anyway?" Red Huntress questioned.

"Who knows." Phantom shrugged. "Klemper's probably visting Frostbite and his people. Wulf likes to wander, and Vlad has a date."

"A date?" Red Huntress was shocked.

"No! He's…um…discussing strategies." Spirit mumbled at the end.

Phantom glared at Spirit. She knew better than to bring that up. They never told Valerie about the meeting or its purpose. "She's just in denial…"

"Oh…" Red Huntress. "Are you sure, because a lot of weird things have been happening lately."

"Weird things happen every week to us." Phantom noted.

Red Huntress stood up from her seat angrily. "I don't like being lied to!"

"…" Danny sighed. "Fine what do you mean?"

"Well, first… who were those Observant guys and what were they talking about." Red Huntress glared.

Phantom gave the girl a side-glance. "Who are the Observants? Psh…I don't think anyone really knows. They are, in fact, older than the Ghost Zone itself. Always watching, rarely acting. They make Clockwork seem liberal."

"Weren't they the guys that ordered Clockwork to kill you?" Spirit questioned.

"To save the world, yes, so I don't really hold a grudge. They did what they thought was right, but what surprised me was that they were actually going to kill Vortex. He must have done some pretty bad stuff." Phantom sighed.

"They'll execute him, but they wouldn't kill you? Seems weird." Red Huntress was obviously still miffed.

"They have taken an oath to never act before a crime has been committed. They're ability to see through time is good in order to prove what has been done, but useless to prove what will happen. They can't absolutely predict what will happen. My crimes hadn't been done yet, and the future me would have been too powerful for them to capture." Phantom explained. "Clockwork was their only option."

"But they said something about you and Vortex both using hatred to fight. And you use you're ice powers to control that hatred." Spirit accused. "What does that mean?"

"They're obviously bias." Phantom lied. "They're mixing the me now for the other me."

No, deep down, he knew what they meant…what Vortex said….Phantom couldn't really deny it.

He was truly at his strongest when he was anger. It wasn't a controlled anger either. He just flipped and fought on instinct alone.

Defeating Red Huntress easily when he couldn't eve land a hit before, hurting Colossus, beating Torch, being able to keep up with an overpowered Nocturne, and so much more…it all happened when he was angry. It all happened when he lost his cool and let an uncontrollable hatred out.

Hatred…was that the source of his power?

"Alright, but what about why Mr. Masters and Klemper are in-"

Clang! Crash! Boom!

Alarms sounded. Lights blared. The Specter Speeder began to plumit to the earth.

"What happened?!" Spirit yelled.

"We found Vortex!" Phantom struggled to keep the machine air born. "We got hit by something! Damn, the wind's too strong!"

"Ah!…You do realize that we're still going to talk about what's been going on!?" Red Huntress yelled at my friend.

"Is now really the time!?" Phantom shouted.

"Just establishing what will happen when our lives aren't in danger!" Red Huntress exclaimed.

"There are moments when our lives aren't in danger?!" Spirit yelled.

And with that, the Specter Speeder crashed into the ground.

* * *

><p>Spirit groaned as she woke back into the world of the living. She felt a splitting headache pulse through her brain. "Ugh…What happened."<p>

"We crashed." Red Huntress voice said next to her.

Spirit opened her eyes. She was surrounded by a green dome. Red Huntress was sitting right behind her.

"Where's Danny?" Spirit questioned as she sat up. She looked around.

"He went ahead." Red Huntress sighed. "I agreed to watch over you until you woke up."

"Alright…" Spirit looked at the crashed Specter Speeder. It wasn't that damaged…wouldn't exactly be a smooth ride later, but it would work. "Let's turn of the human ghost shield."

"Is that what the dome is?" Red Huntress questioned.

"Yeah, Danny and Dad made it." Spirit explained as she entered the Specter Speeder. "Apparently, it can stop almost anything."

"It's almost the perfect shield…" Red Huntress commented.

"Not really, I think it has it's weaknesses, but it did protect us from the storm. " Spirit shouted out as she turned off the human/ghost shield.

"Yeah, it sure-"

Boom! Rumble! Vroom! Swoosh! Crack!

"Ah!" Red Huntress and Sprit were unprepared for the power of the storm.

"How can the storm be this bad!?" Spirit was completely soaked within seconds of being in the storm.

"I don't know!?" Red Huntress struggled against the storm. "No wonder we crashed. Flying will be impossible!"

"Not for someone intagible!" Sprit grabbed Red Huntress and dragged her into the speeder. "There's no way for you to fly in this storm. Stay here and guard the Specter Speeder."

Red Huntress frowned. She may not like it, but Spirit was right. The ghost hunter couldn't even walk. Trying to fly would be a suicide attempt without Phantom or Spirit constantly holding on to her. "Okay, go help Danny!"

"You got it!" Spirit smiled at Red Huntress. "Put the shield up when I leave. I'm coming, Danny."

* * *

><p>(Play: Fury of the Storm by Dragonforce)<p>

Phantom flew towards Vortex as quickly as possible. He had to turn intangible not to be thrown away by the wind. Unfortunately, he couldn't hit Vortex while intangible, so he quickly turned intangible in order to strike. That didn't work so well…

"NICE…huff…TRY!" Vortex bellowed as he blasted Phantom with electricity.

"Gah!" Phantom cried in pain. He kept healing his injuries, but at this rate, he would exhaust himself.

"GAHAHAHAHAH-Guh!" Vortex grunted when Superman punched him in a gut. The Man of Steel continued his assault on the weather ghost by following up with two punches to Vortex's face. Then, to finish it up, Superman blasted Vortex with his heat vision.

Imagine the kryptonian's surprise when Vortex merely grunted in pain as he blocked the blast with his arm. The ghost's arm was burned, but the ghost didn't seem to care. "GAHAHAH!…huff…FOOLISH MORTAL. SUCH PATHETIC HEAT …huff…CAN'T HURT ME!"

Like with he did with Phantom, Vortex grabbed Superman and sent electricity to shock Superman. The man of steel grunted in pain as he tried to get away from Vortex. Unlike Phantom, Superman's raw strength managed to fight back against Vortex. The weather ghost seemed surprised by this, so he opened his mouth wide. The wind that came out of his mouth was faster than two hundred kilometers per hour.

Most other beings would be torn apart by this, but Superman managed to fight back. He continued to struggle, until Phantom punched Vortex in the hard as hard as he could. This made Vortex let go of Superman, but before Phantom could react, Superman grabbed him and dragged him backwards.

Phantom was instantly grateful as ectoplasm blasted off of Vortex in a giant wave. The blast would have really hurt the halfa. "Thanks for the assist…"

"Only fair, you helped me first." Superman smiled at the younger hero.

"You would have gotten out eventually." Phantom commented as he tried to calm down. He rising temper was making the storm worse. For once, his emotions weren't helping him in a fight. They were becoming a hindrance.

Superman chose to ignore that. "The storm keeps fluctuating. He increases it as we attack. Is he trying to preserve energy?"

"…Maybe…" …Or not…

"GAHAHAHAHA!" Vortex laughed. "DON'T BLAME THAT…huff…ON ME. IT'S THAT LITTLE THIEF…huff…THAT FLUCTUATES THE WEATHER!"

Superman didn't listen to the weather ghost. To him, it was an insane rambling of the ghost to distract him. Phantom was grateful for that.

"AND-ack!" A green ball hit Vortex and exploded.

"Phantom…and Superman!" Spirit looked in awe at the Man of Steel.

"You're awake." Phantom grunted.

"Yeah!" Spirit smirked. "Ready to fight!"

"Are you sure she should be here?" Superman looked concerned. "She seems… a little young."

"Physical appearance doesn't mean much to ghosts." Phantom noted. "We can be a lot older than we look." That wasn't exactly a lie. Many ghost's didn't really appear their age, but wasn't exactly true for Phantom and Spirit.

"Okay…fair enough." Superman didn't look totally convinced, but agreed nevertheless. It was hard to tell if Phantom was lying. He had no heartbeat for Superman to hear. 'Guess he really is a ghost…'

"LITTLE BRAT!" Vortex held his hand to the sky. Lighting rained down towards the heroes.

Phantom and Superman were hit by the lighting before they could react. They tried to save Spirit, but couldn't reach her in time. That was because…Spirit dodged the lightning.

"HUH!?" Vortex seemed outraged that his attack didn't work. In a burst of rage, he sent a cyclone at them. The heroes separated and went different ways. The cyclone separated into three. Each cyclone chased a hero. Phantom and Superman managed to outrun the cyclones.

Spirit, however… twisted and turned to avoid the wind. It was an unbelievable sight. It was a show of grace and skill as Spirit moved just enough to avoid damage.

Vortex gawked. "WHAT?! HOW-AAGH!"

Superman used the distraction and punched Vortex in the jaw. The force caused Vortex to lose control of his cyclones and to fly towards Phantom. Phantom just used his regular ectoplasm and axe kicked Vortex down.

The weather ghost didn't get too far. Spirit was there to strike. Unfortunately, Vortex was ready this time. His arm turned bright red and black smoke came off the arm. Spirit didn't seem intimidated, though. She continued in her attack.

"NO!" Phantom yelled. Anger burst through him as he realized that the attack would hit his sister. The attack would leave her incredibly injured at the very least.

"GAH!" Vortex stopped his attack as lighting struck him in the back.

This was all the time Spirit needed. She followed through with her attack and did a massive uppercut to Vortex. The female halfa obviously used all her power to strike the weather ghost, because the explosion caused the weather ghost to be scorched and bruised as he was sent backwards.

Vortex was obviously hurt, because the storm immediately began to calm down. Now, it was only cloudy. This allowed the heroes to see the destruction bellow. Luckily, they were fighting in an abandoned country side. No one was hurt.

"Why didn't you try to dodge!?" Phantom yelled as he flew up to her.

"I knew your temper tantrum would save me." Spirit smirked.

"Tantrum? Didn't we go over this?! What's my one rule above all other rules?" Phantom glared at his sister.

"Don't embarrass you in front of the super villains…" Spirit mumbled/sighed.

"Exactly!" Phantom frowned.

Superman raised an eyebrow at the two ghosts. 'What strange young people…'

"Why don't you just capture Vortex?" Spirit asked.

"Fine…" Phantom pulled out the Fenton Thermos. "Couldn't get a good shot off before…"

"FOOLS…huff…heave…huff…" Vortex was trembling as he tried to keep himself from falling to the ground. He was on his last legs. "I…huff huff…CAN'T…huff…BE DEFea…te…d…"

"Kukukukuku! Sounds good to me!"

"Huh-ack!" Phantom was shocked when the thermos was destroyed by a ball of red energy.

"Nice to see you, Phantom!" Klarion appeared beside Vortex.

"Klarion!" Phantom yelled.

"What is he doing here?" Superman readied himself for a fight.

"Me? I'm just watching all the fun you're having. Kukukukuku!" Klarion laughed as he petted his cat.

"WH…at do you want…WITCH B..oy…" Vortex couldn't even yell anymore. He was too exhausted.

"Psh! Ungrateful jerk! I should have just let you get killed!" Klarion whined.

"Meow!" Teekl glared at Klarion.

"Fine. Fine." Klarion sighed. "I'm here to help, you oversized vacuum cleaner."

"I…don't…need help…." Vortex glared.

"Oh, I beg to differ." Klarion held up his hand. "And you'll be getting a lot of it."

"AHHHHHH!"

"Kukukukuku!" Klarion chuckled. "Little know fact, magic can actually help ghosts instead of hurt them, if the user wishes it, that is. And in the rare occasions that it happens…all hell breaks loose."

And so it did…

* * *

><p>The results of Klarion's interference were devastating. All around the world, the weather instantly became twice as bad, but the worst was the area directly around Vortex. Multiple tornadoes formed around them. Hail the size of softballs fell from the sky. Lighting bolts rained down from the sky like they were being pored from a bucket.<p>

All that could be ignored, though. What really concerned them, was Vortex. The weather ghost had grown to the size of a skyscraper. All his injuries were healed by the magic. He was surrounded by a dark red cloak of magical energy. Red veins pulsed throughout his body. The heroes could practically feel the power coming off him in waves.

"**GAHAHAHAHAH**!" Vortex laughed in his haze of power lust.

Superman was the first to react. The second he flew towards Vortex, he created a sonic boom. Vortex was unprepared by Superman's attack. He reeled back as Superman stuck him in the head. The Man of Steel followed up by several punches to Vortex's humongous body.

Unfortunately, Vortex was not effected by this barrage. "**WAS THAT…huff… SUPPOSED TO HURT?**" Vortex yelled at Superman.

The force of the wind caused Superman to be blown back as if he were a fly. Vortex continued his barrage. He punched Superman into the ground and continued to beat him like a drum.

"**GAH!**" Vortex screamed in pain.

Using the distraction, Phantom had flown up to Vortex's head. He had to work in order to avoid the wind, lighting, and raw energy surrounding Vortex. When he finally reached Vortex's head, Phantom used an ectoplasmic energy blast to try and distract the giant weather ghost. The result, however, was surprising.

The blast hit the red magic aura surrounding Vortex and…caused a giant explosion. Phantom was surprised by the damage caused by his attack. Vortex's head was covered in scrapes. He didn't put enough energy for that…then that must mean… "He's weak to ectoplasmic attacks! The magic's a double edge sword!"

"Alright!" Spirit smirked as she flew around the giant ghost's body. She absentmindedly dodged all the wind and lighting that was attacking her. The female halfa then sent multiple ectoplasmic attacks at the weather ghost. Each one caused a large explosion as hit the magic cloak.

"**ARG!…huff… STOP THAT!**" Giant balls of concentrated storms formed at Vortex's hands. He was about to throw them at the halfa's when Superman stopped him. This time, Superman used his heat vision to heat the magic energy around Vortex. This had a slightly better affect than the punches. Vortex was hurt enough to lose focus on his attacks.

"Keep attacking!" Superman yelled.

So they did. All three heroes flew around the giant ghost. Superman used his heat vision and ice breath to hurt the weather ghost, while the halfas used their ectoplasm to attack. Soon, the weather ghost was covered in scratches and burns.

The heroes weren't doing so well, though. Phantom was injured worse than Vortex. Spirit was running out of energy because her rapid dodging. Even Superman was wearing down. The magic powered ectoplasm hurt even the Man of Steel.

"**ENOUGH!**" Vortex finally screamed. A giant electric cyclone formed around him. The attack caused all the heroes to be thrown to the ground below.

"**YOU…huff…PATHETIC MORTAL…huff…**" Vortex yelled. He reached down and grabbed Superman. Electricity blasted from Vortex's hand. Superman shouted in pain as he was consumed in the light of the electricity. "**THEY ARE ONLY ALIVE…huff…BECAUSE OF YOU…huff…BE GONE!**"

Vortex's fist turned into the wind itself. It stretched out and began to carry Superman away. In an instant, the wind had carried Superman out of the halfa's sights. The wind didn't look it was stopping any time soon, though. If one thing was for sure, Superman wouldn't be able to help them anymore.

"**I WILL DESTROY YOU!**" Vortex bellowed.

Phantom braced himself as the lighting came down to hit him. Several bolts were aimed at him, and he wasn't ready to dodge or stop them. Luckily, Spirit was. She grabbed onto Phantom and pulled him just enough to not be damaged by the lighting.

"How do you keep doing that?!" Phantom yelled as Spirit dragged him.

"I don't know!? I just…feel it! Like a gut feeling!" Spirit looked exhausted. She shouldn't be that tired, though. None of her attacks had been that big, and she hadn't taken too many hits. The only way she would be this tired would be…

If she had a new power…Premonition…an internal feeling about what would happen in the future…

Phantom grabbed his sister and pulled her onto his back. She may have the knowledge of what to do, but she couldn't move enough to use it. "A woman's intuition is a powerful thing! Tell me how to dodge, and I'll do it!"

"Okay!" Spirit got over the embarrassment of being piggybacked through a fight. She had more pressing matters on which she had to focus.

"**FRY LITTLE ANTS!**" Vortex screamed.

Turning intangible, Phantom managed to dodge the fist wave of wind that came his way. To win, though, he had to get close. Trying to fight Vortex like before would be impossible. He needed to get close and take an all or nothing shot.

It was time for the Ghostly Wail. And in order to get close enough, Phantom would have to listen to Spirit's every instruction.

"Move left!"

"Duck!"

"Up!"

"Right!"

That was their continued pattern. Spirit yelled out instructions. Phantom would follow those instructions. Vortex would send lighting, wind, updrafts, downdrafts, cyclones, and many other weaponized weather to attack the halfas.

Slowly, the halfas managed to get closer to Vortex. The plan was to get directly above Vortex. Hit him down hard and don't let him get a chance to get away.

"Almost there! Straight ahead!" Spirit yelled.

Phantom obeyed the instruction. He flew forward as fast as he could. Soon, he would be directly above Vortex.

"**DO YOU THINK…huff…THAT I'LL LET YOU…huff…DO THAT?!**" Vortex yelled. The storm itself seamed to gather at his hands. All of the energy around him, magic and ectoplasmic, transferred to his hands. It was an attack to end all attacks.

"What do I do?!" Phantom asked.

"I-I…you can't do anything…." Spirit trembled. "It can't be dodged, and it can't be blocked."

"What?!" Phantom shouted.

"**Die!**" Vortex yelled.

After that, Phantom was hit by the blast.

* * *

><p>The pain was terrible. Electricity ran through his body. The wind crashed into him with bone crushing force. Hale bombarded his body.<p>

Nevertheless, Phantom fought to stay awake. His body was currently protecting Spirit. If he stopped…she would die.

Phantom tried to fight back, but he couldn't move. He couldn't do anything to block the concentrated storm. All his struggling and fighting proved for nothing. The only thing he could do was take the damage and feel.

A torrent of emotions ran through him. Usually, this would strengthen him, but in this case, they made it worse. His own emotions gave power to the storm. The angrier he became, the worse the concentrated storm was.

Was this really it? Is this how he would die? Phantom had come close to dying several times, but now…now was different. Spirit, his sister, was going to die with him. Thought made him angry. The anger made the storm worse. The storm hurt him more. It was a terrible cycle

Try as he might, Phantom couldn't get his emotions under control. Not like this, he couldn't focus like this…

It was over…

"_Danny, do you know why the sky cries?"_

…What?…

* * *

><p><em>Memory sequence begin<em>

"_Mommy, why are you sad?" A seven year old Danny looked up to his mom. She was looking out the window to see the rain. Her expression was always sad when it rained._

_Maddie quickly changed the mood on her face. "What do you mean, Sweety?"_

"_You always look like you're about to cry when it rains like this." Danny frowned cutely. "I don't want you to be sad."_

_Maddie smiled at her child. She brought him onto her lap and told him, "I'm sorry, Danny. The rain just makes me think of hard times."_

"_Like what?"_

"_Well…" Maddie looked conflicted. "There was a time long ago where someone I loved very much was…sick."_

"_Why?" Danny questioned._

"_Because he wasn't ready for life yet." Maddie answered._

"_Oh…"_

"_During that time, it rained all the time because it was spring." Maddie explained. "And I suppose whenever it rains like this, I remember the feelings I had. I was sad, mad, and desperate. For a while, there, I thought that this person I cared about would leave me."_

"_So the rain makes you sad? It just makes me tired." Danny commented._

_Maddie laughed. "Danny, do you know why the sky cries?"_

"_You mean rain?" Danny tilted his head in confusion. "Well, Jazz says its because of the water bicycle."_

_Once again, Maddie chuckled at her son's cuteness. "Well, that, and because there are troubling times, the heavens weep to get rid of all the bad thoughts they have. So they won't be sad and angry anymore."_

"_Oh…so the clouds feel?" Danny questioned._

"_I…like to think it's the people sitting on the clouds that feel." Maddie sighed. "Even though, I have no proof, I do believe that."_

"_Why?" Danny asked._

"_Because I saw an unexplainable miracle happen before my eyes." Maddie smiled. "The person I cared about got better instantly. The doctors were sure that he wouldn't, and yet he did. He's my little miracle…"_

"_Oh…then why do you feel bad about the rain." Danny questioned. "The guy lived right?"_

"_Yes, but the time that he was sick was very excrutia…hard for me." Maddie noted. "I feel sad because of it…but I also felt something else."_

"_What?"_

"_Hope. Hope that the rain would stop and the sun would come out. Hope that the person I cared about would get better. And you know what? My hope worked. The person got better and the rain stopped." Maddie smiled brightly._

"_Oh…so hope stops the rain?" Danny questioned._

"_I like to think it does." Maddie hugged her son._

"_Okay, then I hope it stops raining by my birthday…"_

"_I'm sure it will, Sweety."_

_Memory sequence end_

* * *

><p>Hope…<p>

The pain stopped.

Hope stops the rain…

Phantom extended his arms forward.

Hope could overcome the anger of the storm…

Phantom's eyes flashed white.

The storm seemed to bend around him and Spirit. While Vortex completely overpowered something, there was something that the magic didn't enhance. Vortex's control over the storm was by far weaker now. He was relying on raw power. In other words…

Phantom's control was better than Vortex's control right now. Which, in a contest of manipulating the weather, Phantom could control Vortex's power and use it against him.

The storm around Phantom seemed to stop. The wind, lighting, and hail all stopped their movement and turned around.

"**WHAT!?**" Vortex shouted in surprise. The concentrated storm came back down and hit him. Vortex managed to block with his arms, but that didn't stop all the damage. He was now completely covered in injuries. "**DO YOU THINK…huff…THAT WILL BE E-**"

**OOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**

Like he planned earlier, Phantom unleashed his Ghostly Wail. The shout of death hit the giant ghost. Vortex writhed in pain as the magic around him increased the Ghostly Wail's effect. In seconds, Vortex collapsed to the ground. The magic faded and he shrunk back to normal size.

Vortex was defeated.

Phantom would have celebrated, if he wasn't plummeting to the earth. He tried to pull up, but he didn't have any energy left. Feeling Spirit let go, Phantom realized that she was in a similar state. Pulling Spirit close to him, Phantom let gravity overtake him.

To protect Spirit, Phantom held her close and landed on his back. The impact would usually break the human spine beyond repair, but Phantom would merely be sore for a while. Looking at Spirit, Phantom realized that his sister had passed out. Gently, he placed her down. "You did good, Dani…"

"BU-but…huff…YOU DI..dn't…" Vortex's voice caught Phantom's attention.

The weather ghost looked terrible. He looked beaten and broken. His trembling form had a difficult time staying standing. Phantom was surprised that he was still even conscious.

"You should stay down." Phantom noted. "If you keep moving while in that state, you'll die."

"Don't y-you dare…huff…say something like that…" Vortex's attempt at a glare was pathetic. "I am the perfect storm…huff…You're hatred can't overcome mine…huff…You will not surpass me…"

"Hatred didn't overcome you." Phantom shakily stood up. "Hope did."

"Hope?…" Vortex became enraged. "You say…huff… HOPE BEAT ME?!…huff…NO!…All I can sense from you is hate…huff…There is no hope!"

"What makes you say-"

Bang! Crack!

Phantom froze at the familiar sound of an ecto-gun firing. He felt no pain. Spirit was undisturbed. That meant…

"Gah!" Vortex spit out green blood and collapsed forward.

Reaching out, Phantom grabbed Vortex and gently brought him to the ground.

* * *

><p>"<em>I…I don't understand…" Phantom mumbled. The gun shot had blasted a hole in Vortex's chest. Green blood was everywhere.<em>

"_What's…so hard to understand." Vortex gasped out. "Someone…hated me…so they killed me…"_

"_You're not dead yet…" Phantom tried to put pressure on the wound, but there was no use._

"_I am…" Vortex grinned at the thought. "I was right…the true nature of everything is…hatred."_

"_What?" Phantom questioned._

"_Back then…back when I was the favorite…I told everyone that hatred was the core of everything…human hates human…ghost hates ghosts…human and ghosts hate each other. No one believed me…they said I was insane…they were in denial… _

"_The Ancient Six…The Observants… Clockwork…they all knew the truth, but they refused to admit it…they banished me…said I was too dangerous…my hate was too strong…" Vortex gurgled out._

"_That's why…" Phantom frowned._

"_Yes…" Vortex nodded. "And they will do the same to you…when they realize that you're hate…is stronger than mine… they will find a new favorite…"_

"_I may be filled with this hate, despair, and terrible anger, but that's not what I used to beat you…" Phantom's eyes stung. "Hope overcomes the storm."_

"_Gaha-Cough! Cough!" Vortex failed to laugh as he coughed up blood. "Is that it? Then you're going to need a lot of it to overcome you're hatred."_

_Vortex's form began to dissolve._

"_What?" Phantom began to panic._

"_So many regrets…So much more I wanted to destroy…" Vortex mumbled weakly. "I…have to confess something…In the beginning, I was like you…I tried to be the hero…but using hate for justice doesn't work…be careful, or you might…end up…like…me…"_

_Phantom didn't know if that was a warning or a smug remark. Either way, those were the last words Vortex ever spoke._

* * *

><p>Phantom knelled over the puddle of ectoplasm that used to be Vortex. He was frozen in shock. He didn't even move as two figures approached him and pointed guns at his head.<p>

"Why did you do that?" Phantom mumbled weakly.

"He was a threat that needed to be eliminated." Agent K noted.

"But he was already defeated…" Phantom growled.

"Do you know the damage he caused? The people he hurt? The lives he ended?" Agent O sneered. "He deserved to die."

"Then kill him like a warrior, not like a dog!" Phantom yelled as he finally looked up at the Guys in White.

Agent K laughed. "He's a ghost. He was lower than a dog. The only thing he deserved was the bullet to the back."

Phantom merely glared at them.

"And the same can be said for you…" Agent O said as he pulled the trigger.

A blue and red blur appeared between the Guys in White and Phantom. It stopped the ecto-blast. "No he doesn't…"

Phantom realized that Superman had returned. He must have traveled hundreds of miles to get here. The Man of Steel didn't look all that great. He was weak to magic, and he got hit a lot in the fight. Nevertheless, Superman didn't shake or stumble. He stood tall.

"Lower than a dog…Is that how you view this young man…how you viewed Vortex?" Superman frowned. In an instant, Phantom realized that Superman was upset.

"Don't act like they're human." Agent K didn't lower his gun. "Now move, we're under the authority of the UN to stop the threat of the storms."

"You do realize that I and some of my best friends aren't human." Superman growled. Correction…He was mad. "And don't you forget that I was authorized by the UN as well, and I say that you should lower you're guns and turn yourself in for murder."

"Murder? This was an authorized kill. We were ordered to eliminate the threat and Phantom-"

"Is not a threat at all…" In an instant, Superman crushed the ecto-guns in his hands. No…he wasn't mad…Superman was pissed… "I don't know what's going on, but I will get to the bottom of this, and justice will be served. Now leave…NOW!"

The Guys in White scurried away with their tails between their legs. Phantom noted that their vehicle seemed to be a drill. They came from underground to avoid the storm. It was a safe strategy, slow, but safe…

"Are you okay, Phantom." Superman knelt down by the halfa. He too looked down sadly at the puddle of ectoplasm.

"No…I'm not…" Phantom mumbled. "This…this is wrong…"

"It is." Superman agreed. "But there's nothing we can do now but respect his memory."

"Yeah…" Phantom looked over at Spirit.

"Will you two need help getting home?" Superman asked.

"No." Phantom looked up. The Specter Speeder was here. "A friend will take us home…"

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-April 27, 2010)<p>

"Daniel." Vlad walked up to his ward. "I heard what happened. I'm so sorry I wasn't here."

"It's okay. You were busy preparing for the possibility of war..." Danny mumbled. He was in the back yard of the mansion and was staring at a simple piece of wood that was coming out of the ground.

He had placed the board there earlier. The board merely said, "In memory of the perfect storm."

"There was nothing left..." Danny noted. "Nothing to bury. Even the energy that I got from him faded. All that's left is a memory..."

"It may be wrong of me to say, but…" Vlad sighed. "He probably doesn't deserve the respect you're giving him."

"He doesn't." Danny nodded sadly. "He was cruel, evil, destructive, and hateful…but he was my enemy and that's what matters."

"I suppose it is…" Vlad noted.

"…Vlad?" Danny didn't look up from Vortex's grave.

"Hmm?" Vlad acknowledged.

"Is this what the world really is?" Danny questioned. "Is the world really so cruel that it's people not only support killing a defenseless being, but celebrate it? The news gives the impression that everyone wanted Vortex killed. They're calling the Guys in White heroes…"

"I…" Vlad sighed. "I suppose it is."

"…I hate it…" Danny admitted. "There's this ball in my chest consumed with this hateful anger at it all. They shouldn't be acting like this. Someone died."

Vlad said nothing.

"They…don't care about ghosts…" Danny realized.

"No, they don't." Vlad nodded.

"…" Danny closed his eyes and gained a look of conviction. "Then…I suppose that we should prepare for war…"

* * *

><p>Omake: Yes, you would<p>

(Monday-April 19, 2010)

"Why the hell do I have to learn how to drive?" Danny mumbled as he stirred the Lamborghini along the roads.

"Because you're fifteen." Vlad noted. "You need to know how to drive."

"Says who?" Danny questioned.

"Society." Vlad smirked.

"Then why are you teaching me?" Danny asked. "You're the worst driver I've ever seen."

"I'm insulted, Daniel." Vlad gained a hurt look. "I am in excellent driver."

"The last time you drove, you almost ran over two cats, three squirrels, and me." Danny stated. "And that was before you even got out of the driveway."

"For your information," Vlad huffed. "My driving record is spotless."

"Because you bribe and blackmail the cops to never pull you over." Danny mentioned.

"No one is perfect, Daniel." Vlad said smugly.

"Whatever…" Daniel gave his mentor a side glance. "Are you sure that you're not doing to distract me from a surprise party?"

"I already said no, Daniel." Vlad smiled. "Would I lie to you?"

(One hour later…)

"Surprise!"

"…" Danny turned to Vlad. "Yes, yes you would…"

* * *

><p>Omake: The One Rule<p>

(Wednesday-April 21, 2010)

"Okaaaaay…" Phantom eyed the weirdo in front of him. "Who are you?"

"I'm Ragdoll!" The masked man said. He was wearing a pale body suit and a mask that appeared to belong on a doll's face with it's stiched mouth, huge nose, and curly red hair. "And you're the first person to ever catch me!"

"…Really?" Phantom questioned. "Because it wasn't that hard."

"Well, not everyone can turn intangible, invisible and freeze people…" Ragdoll notes as he was hanging upside down on the wall while being held up by a layer of ice. He tried to use his special triple jointedness to enter the jewelry store through the vents. Unfortunately, Phantom and Spirit had taken notice and stopped him.

"Please! I was the one that said we should check this place out!" Spirit yelled. "This is my victory."

"Whatever…" Phantom sighed. "This is the first time a human super villain came to Amity Park…I guess we should get the cops."

"No, we should just let the thief go free." Spirit sarcastically commented.

"Must you mock me?" Phantom groaned.

"Stop acting like an idiot and I will." Spirit noted. "Here's your sign…"

"Okay, really, stop it." Phantom glared.

"Stop what?" Spirit snorted. "I don't know what you're talking about at aallllllllll…lllll…"

"Okay!" Phantom growled. "New rule, if fact the one rule above all other rules!"

"Phantom…"

"Under no circumstances are you to ever embarrass me in front of the super villains."

"Phantom…"

"I'm serious! Do not embarrass me in front of the super villians!"

"Okay…but Phantom?"

"Yes?"

"The Ragdoll guy already escaped…"

"…Doh!"

"Here's your sign."

* * *

><p><strong>Spirit's new power is Premonition. She can, to some extent, tell what an enemy is intending to do. The problem is that doesn't mean she can dodge everything. If she can't move fast enough, the power is pointless. The reason she did so well against Vortex was because Vortex was dividing his attention between the three heroes.<strong>

**No, Phantom will not have Vortex's powers anymore. It was a temporary transfer.**

**Thank you all for reading and please remember to...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	17. Tears of Ice

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

John 15:13

* * *

><p>Chapter 17: "Sacrifice"<p>

_If I think about it…everything started on that one day. The final straw that broke the camel's back. The beginning of the end._

_Part of me questions about whether or not I could have prevented it. If I managed to predict what would happen, maybe everything would have been different. Or maybe nothing would have changed at all. It's hard to tell, really._

_But I am sure that it was that day was when it began. Everything changed in a single moment. So much evil and terribleness occurred because of what happened. But at the same time…it was the day that Danny made his choice. The day that the Fate Changer decided to fulfill his role._

_I didn't realize it back then, though. I was too broken up myself. It was one of the worst things to ever happen to my family. Yet, at the same time, it made us all so much stronger._

_Was that the purpose of it all? To make us stronger? To prepare us for what was ahead?_

_Because if it was…then it worked. We were ready after that day._

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-May 4, 2010)<p>

"Thank you for all your help, child. Your assistance was most helpful." Technus grimaced as he looked around the spare bedroom that he was in. "But I must ask…why are there so many people in this room?"

"We apologize, Nicolai, but we are all curious about what happened." Vlad noted from his place of leaning against the nearby wall.

"Yeah!" Dani agreed as she sat on the edge of Technus' bed. "We put a lot of time into fixing you."

"Don't be rude, Dani." Danny pulled up a chair and sat on it backwards. "I'm glad you're better, but we need to know what happened."

"And is there a reason for the snow cone and the fur ball are here?" Technus glanced at Klemper and Wulf.

"Hey! We helped move you. We have the right to here this too." Klemper frowned as Wulf nodded.

"And her?" Technus gestured toward Ember.

Everyone turned to the siren ghost at the back of the room. Danny shrugged. "We don't really know. She just showed up."

Ember grunted. "I was bored."

Technus sighed. "Fine, fine, what do you want me… Technus! Master of all technology! To tell you?"

"We figured out that they Guys in White captured you, but we have to know…what really happened?" Danny questioned.

"Well...I suppose it happened right after that fiasco with Nocturne. After he was capture and put in Walker's jail-"

"Eh, Technus…" Dani raised an eyebrow. "That like over two months ago…"

"Two months…" Technus muttered. "Makes sense, I suppose. I decided to put my plans for world domination on hold for a while after the Nocturne Crisis. I was stocking machinery in order to improve my chances when they burst in…those Dudes wearing Grey…"

"Guys in White…" Danny corrected.

"I wasn't prepared, so they captured me. They were smart, too. Kept me away from all technology. Nothing electrical was near me." Technus shivered. "It was torture."

"Was being away from tech that bad?" Klemper asked.

"No, not that…what they injected into me…" Technus looked ill. "I felt…terror, desperation, like the world was closing in around me. All the systems had crashed…another stone age…"

"You mere mumbling things about that…" Vlad sighed. "So what we thought was true. This seems to be the work of the Scarecrow. He's working for GiW…"

"The scarecrow…I remember that thing…the maggots and bugs that invested it…" Technus took a nearby bucket that they had placed there for emergencies and threw up into it.

Danny sighed. He would need to tell Batman. "This means you were probably in Gotham City, then…"

"Probably… I remember the air being more polluted than here…" Technus composed himself. "In retrospect…I suppose I was the lucky one. They had several other test subjects. All of them completely lost their minds. The Guys in White eradicated them."

Dani frowned. "So they passed on to the other side?"

"Not in a good way." Ember spoke up. "If a ghost dies and doesn't complete its purpose, it dissolves. Only leaves a messy puddle behind and even that fades quickly."

"Unlike Desiree…" Danny noted. "She fulfilled her purpose. From what I heard, that's different. Better. She willingly moved on with complete satisfaction. But ghosts like Vortex…they just cease to exist. There's a big difference."

"Vortex and the Desiree child are gone…" Technus placed a hand on his forehead. "Ah, I'm feeling old now. So much has happened…"

There was an awkward silence. Indeed, a lot had occurred in the last few months. Not to mention, that soon even more disasters would occur.

Feeling the bad atmosphere, Dani attempted to change the subject. "So…what's your obsession, Technus?"

"Danielle!" Vlad gave his adopted daughter a stern look. "It is rude to ask such personal questions."

"Ah!" Technus beamed at the chance to talk about himself. "So you want to hear about Technus, the master of all things technological! Excellent! It was a snowy morning…"

"Cut to the chase, Grandpa!" Emeber yelled. "We don't got all day!"

"Brat! Respect your elders!" Technus shouted. "Why in my day…"

"Um…Technus, your story?" Klemper tried to get everyone back on track.

"Fine, fine, short version it is…" Technus cleared his voice. "When I was alive, I was an aspiring inventor. I made fantastic machines, unfortunately, I let something get in the way…"

"Music?" Ember questioned.

"Snowcones?" Klemper asked.

"(Freedom?)" Wulf growled.

"Bark?" Cujo hopped up on the bed.

"Why, yes, Cujo, It was love." Technus patted the dog.

"You can understand dogs?!" Dani was shocked.

"Of course not! I just like messing with people, gahhahahahhahah-Ow!"

Vlad had sent a mild ecto-blast at Technus' head. "Continue, Nicolai."

"Yes, well, I fell in love with this beautiful woman. And she appeared to care for me, too. I was happy…" Technus frowned. "Until she stole the plans for my ultimate machine and ran off! I was devastated. Because of that, I lost my home, my pride, and the pathetic human emotions that drug me down. When I finally died, I vowed to gain the recognition I was supposed to get when I was alive as a master of technology."

Danny nodded that made sense. All of Technus' actions were caused by his previous life…that and Danny's dumb suggestions on how to take over the world. It was no excuse, though. Danny could better understand his enemy now, though.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

Danny pulled out his Tucker Phone. "There's a fire downtown…"

"Can't Miss Grey handle this?" Vlad suggested. "This meeting is important."

"My ice powers could be of some use in putting out the fire, though." Danny stood and began to exit the room. "Don't worry, I'll be back in ten minutes tops."

"Can I go?" Dani questioned.

"Yes, go on. It'll be faster that way." Vlad gestured to the door.

"Yes, go do your pathetic hero thing, youngsters!" Technus yelled. "I'll just be here telling stories to these children."

Everyone groaned. "Get back here soon!"

"I'm going ghost!"

* * *

><p>The heat of the fire was intense. The entire building was glowing red and smoking. The firefighters were trying to use the hoses to put out the flames, but it was no use. The flames were too hot.<p>

Luckily, they weren't too hot for Phantom and Spirit.

"Got another one!" Spirit fazed an older woman outside the building.

"Good!" Phantom looked over to the people they already rescued. "Anyone else in there?"

"S-some pets." A man coughed out.

"Got it." Phantom flew into the flames without an ounce a fear. Compared to Torch's flames, these were like candles.

Making three duplicates, Phantom quickly found a dog, some fish, and a hamster. The duplicates carried them out as Phantom continued to search.

"_You good, spook?"_ Red Huntress questioned over the Fenton Phones.

"Yeah, how's it going outside?" Phantom questioned.

"_Not good, the fire's spreading." _Red Huntress noted.

Phantom felt the memories of his duplicates come back to him. The man had said there was no one else in the building. "I can handle it, but I need you to make everyone is a good distance away."

"_Everyone's already clear_."

"Here we go…" Blue light began to dance around Phantom. He quickly speed through the entire building. His cold energy managed to easily put out the flames. The fire was completely put out in minutes.

Exiting the building, Phantom examined his work. It wasn't perfect, but he managed to save at least half of the stuff in the building. Add that to no one really getting hut, and you get a really good day.

"Show off!" Spirit flew up to him. "I could have done that if I had ice powers!"

"I'm sure you could." Phantom smiled at his partner.

"Wooh! Go Phantom!"

"Saving the day again!"

"Spirit, you're amazing!"

"Red Huntress handled the fire so well!"

"Phantom!"

"Phantom!"

"Phantom!"

The crowd continued to cheer for the halfa and his friends. Phantom was a little surprised by their reaction. The cheers were something new…

Red Huntress flew up to them with a smirk. "Pretty different than a few months ago, huh?"

"Yeah, a complete 180." Phantom nodded numbly.

"Why do you get the most cheers?" Spirit whined.

"I did most of the work." Phantom teased his sister.

"What!?" Spirit went to punch Phantom, but Phantom merely held her back with one hand.

Phantom turned to Red Huntress. "Can you handle the rest, Red? We need to head back and deal with some family issues."

"Let go of me!" Spirit cried. "You're embarrassing me, fool!"

Red Huntress clearly wanted to ask about what the issues were but held her tongue. "Yeah, I'll make sure everything's safe."

"Good. Sorry about-"

Spirit didn't hear the rest. A clear thought popped into her head. It was a Premonition. '(Ecto bullet flies from the building on the left. It hits Danny cleanly in the head. Blood and brain matter fly everywhere…)'

"Duck!" Spirit pulled the arm holding her. Phantom was moved to the side just as the ecto bullet soared by him. The blast hit the scorched building behind them.

Boom! The sound spread.

The crowd screamed and began to scatter. Usually, the heroes would try to calm the crowd down, but they had more pressing matters with which to deal. They turned to the source of the shot.

"Thanks, Spirit, I owe you ten." Phantom prepared himself for a fight.

"Don't mention it…" Spirit tensed. Her premonition wasn't telling her anything about an incoming attack. While she didn't like to constantly rely on her new power, she wasn't sure when the next attack would come. So, she allowed her premonition to remain active and drain her energy.

"Who was that?" Red Huntress pointed her gun in the direction of the building.

"DANNY PHANTOM!" A man walked up to him while speaking into a bullhorn. Phantom didn't recognize him, but the halfa did recognize his attire. He was part of the Guys in White.

"…Yes?" Phantom questioned wearily. He was ready in case they attacked again.

The man approached them. He had a shaved head that showed his dark tan. He wore the same white suit as all Guys in white, but he had several badges and medals on his suit that spoke of his rank. Despite his greying mustache, this man didn't appear to be older. He looked more like a wall of moving muscles than a person. "By the authority given to me by the Anti-Ectoterroist Act and the UN, I am placing you and the little ghost girl under arrest. Come willingly and no one needs to get hurt."

"Funny…" Red Huntress glared. "It sure looked like someone was trying to kill Phantom. Does that not count as someone getting hurt?"

"This is none of your business, you armature ghost hunter." The man growled at Red Huntress. "I am on the side of justice here, not you."

"You said the Anti-Ectoterroist Act, right?" Phantom questioned. "I thought that wasn't even passed yet."

"It was passed not ten minutes ago." The man smirked. "And now we have every right to hunt you down and bring you into custody."

"You mean experiment on us like you did with Technus and those ghosts you killed!" Spirit shouted.

The man seemed fazed by that. "How did…"

"Look, Mr…" Phantom trailed off.

"Agent Z." The man grunted.

"Agent Z, I'm fine with going back to the Ghost Zone. In fact, Spirit and I will go there now. You will never hear from us again." Phantom tried to reason.

"No dice, you freak of nature." Agent Z pulled out a gun. "You're far too dangerous to even exist, let alone live free. No way could an entity that can jump from a scale 7 to a scale 9 ectoplasmic power could possibly be left to roam free."

"So…that's it, huh?" Phantom mention. "This won't end peacefully."

"No, it will either end in your capture…or death." Agent Z grinned.

"We'll see about that…" Spirit growled. "You and a sniper won't be enough to stop us…"

"That's why I brought a small army…" Swarms of Guys in White flooded onto the streets from the nearby houses and alleyways. A chopper flew appeared above the heroes. Hover scooters rocketed by the houses towards the halfa. Every single enemy was armed with some sort of ecto-weaponry.

"An ambush…" Red Huntress realized.

"You…" Phantom's eyes widened. "You started a fire just to lure us out. Why the hell would you do that?! Someone could have gotten hurt!"

"We had to act before you could realize that the act was passed. If we didn't do something immediately, you would have disappeared into the Ghost Zone." Agent Z pointed his gun at Phantom's head.

Phantom growled as he looked around. They were completely outnumbered. Escaping and turning back into a human would be difficult, but possible. With Red Huntress however…it would be impossible.

"Red…" Phantom addressed his fellow ghost hunter. "Now would be a good time to cut off our partnership…"

"And leave you to fight alone?" Red Huntress questioned. "Like hell."

"We can escape easier without you." Phantom whispered.

"Escaping won't work anyway." Agent Z noted. A green dome quickly appeared around the area. It seems that they came prepared. The Ghost Shield would make this fight even harder…

"Dammit…" Phantom cursed.

"Will you surrender?" Agent Z asked.

"Hell no…"

"Then…open fire!"

* * *

><p>"No!" A figure lunged in between the heroes and the Guys in White. It was Paulina.<p>

"I won't let you do this to them!" Paulina shouted. "He's my love!"

"Paulina!" Phantom yelled. "This is too dangerous for you!"

"It's even more dangerous for you!" Dash joined the cheerleader. "I'm with you, go Phantom!"

"Me too!"

"Yeah!"

"Save the heroes!"

Dozens of more of Casper High students stepped in between the heroes and the agents. They were all spread out and each blocked a different GIW agent.

"You stupid children!" Agent Z growled. "You think this is a game? Agent O, escort these children out of the area!"

"They're not the only ones!" A crowd of adult citizens of Amity Park all joined the students. Phantom realized that this was the same group that was cheering them earlier. They hadn't left. They merely distanced themselves from the gunshot. They…came back for him and his friends…

"We won't abandon the people who protected us all this time!" Someone from the crowd yelled.

"Fools!" Agent K exclaimed. "Do you realize that you could be arrested for this!?"

"Do you realize that you're violating people's rights!?" Spring Whitiker shouted through the crowed. She put the microphone right in front of Agent Z's face. "Phantom hadn't even had the chance to hear about the act being passed. How would he know that to stay away from Amity Park?"

"Ignorance of the law is no excuse!" Agent Z exclaimed. "Now everyone, get out of the area immediately!"

"But Phantom stated that he would willingly head back to the Ghost Zone. If I remember correctly, it was a specifically stated that a ghost would be issued a warning first." Spring got right up in Agent Z's face. "And what was this I heard about you starting a fire?"

"That's it!" Agent Z's veins bulged. "You're all under arrest for obstruction of justice!"

"What?!"

"Like hell!"

"That's so unfair!"

The Guys in White tried to arrest the people of Amity Park, but the people struggled back. None of them were willing to be arrested, but no one was going to abandoned Phantom and his friends. Eventually, a large mash pit began to form.

"Wait!" Phantom floated above everyone. Everyone turned to face him. The only thing could be heart was the sound of the helicopter high above them. "Don't hurt them! I'll let you take me in."

"No!" Paulina cried.

"You don't deserve this!" Dash exclaimed.

"Danny?" Spirit looked at her brother. She understood. She didn't want others to get hurt either…

"It's fine. I have friends that will make sure…"

Boom!

No one was sure who fired the weapon. No one knew who would be stupid enough to shoot at a man that was willingly turning himself into the authority. No one knew why this happened.

All they knew was that Phantom exclaimed in pain as the ecto-bullet pierced his shoulder. All they knew was that Phantom was in pain as he fell to the ground. All they knew was that the Guys in White shot their hero.

In that instant, the entire city went into a rage. Everyone was filled with fear and anger. Someone decided to take that anger out on the GIW and threw a punch. Another person thought that would be a good idea. Then, another person tried it. Eventually, the entire city was attacking the GIW.

Thus began the Riot of Amity Park.

* * *

><p>Spirit rocketed toward her brother. She ignored raging people all around her. Danny was more important right now. "Phantom!"<p>

The halfa girl wasn't able to catch Phantom, so she leaned over him and checked him over. His shoulder was bleeding badly, but it was already healing. He was hurt but would live.

"Crap that hurt." Phantom groaned as he sat up. Clutching his shoulder, the halfa looked around. "Oh man…they're out of control…"

Red Huntress approached the two. "We need to stop this."

"Yeah." Phantom looked at his shoulder. The shot really got in deep. He wouldn't be able to move that arm for a while. "I won't be able to fight well for a while…"

The chopper above them began to circle around. The Guys in White on the hover scooters began to approach the mosh pit. Plus, there was still that sniper from before…

"Okay," Phantom stood with the help of Spirit and Red Huntress. "Spirit, I need you to take care of that helicopter. You handled one before, right?"

"Yep!" Spirit had to grin at that memory.

"Okay…don't crash it, just land it on the roof."

"Kill joy."

"Red, I'll need you to take out the guys on the hover scooters. Try to ground them." Phantom instructed. "And both of you should look out for that sniper…"

"What about you?" Red Huntress questioned.

"I can't fight right now, so I'll try to calm down the crowd." Phantom explained. "I hope I can calm things down until help arrives. That Spring lady was broadcasting. Hopefully Vlad was watching."

"Got it!" With that, the two heroines were off.

Phantom turned to the rioting crowd. "Hey!"

No one listened to him.

"Stop this, now!" Phantom tried to float close to the crown. He was rather shaky. "This won't end well!"

Once again, there was no reaction.

"Damn it! I'm trying to-Ahg!" Phantom pulled back away from the crowd. There was nothing touching him. He was being pulled in like…oh, crap!

Phantom quickly turned back into a human. Luckily, his disguise belt hid his human form. The force pulling him instantly stopped, and halfa crumbled onto the ground.

Turning around, Danny quickly changed back into his ghost form. He needed to be in ghost form to use his regeneration to its fullest extent, and trying to fight as a human right now would be suicide. When he turned, Phantom expected to see a Guy in White, but what he saw surprised him.

It was an android that stood over seven feet tall. Its head was smooth and round. It had no nose, mouth or ears, but it had glowing red eyes. The body of the android was modeled to look like a white suit, but Phantom could see that it had various joints and compartments on it. The body that wasn't decorated by the white suit design was a dark green. In fact, the metal almost looked like ectoranium.

What really caught Phantom's attention was the single word written across the front of the machine…It couldn't be…

The android had its right arm extended. A cylinder that was extended from the palm of the android quickly retreated back into the palm. Then the android lowered its arm. It seemed to be processing something.

"They were connected." Phantom realized. "They always were. That's why the Guys in White stopped hounding me. They all got what they wanted. The ultimate anti-ghost weapon…"

"**Tactic failed. New strategy required.**" The machine announced.

In an instant, the android was rushing towards Phantom. Its speed was incredible. A mere second later, Phantom was in a fight for his life.

Despite this, Phantom could only see one thing about the android. The words on the front of the front of the machine…

The Necromancer.

* * *

><p>Spirit landed the helicopter on a nearby roof. In actuality, landing that was rather easy compared to flying the Specter Speeder. The halfa girl wished that she could have gotten the helicopter farther away, but the Ghost Shield prevented that.<p>

After making sure that the pilot and passengers from the helicopter were unconscious, Spirit went to make sure that the sniper was gone. There was no one on the roofs, so the sniper must have left the high ground to assist his friends.

Spirit noted that Valerie had already knocked down the Guys in White on the hover scooters. With that out of the way, she could join the fray and knock some heads…Ugh, she meant calmly talk everyone down. Yep, that's exactly what she meant…

"Wait…" Spirit looked around. She saw Red Huntress down there, but where was…

Boom! Rumble!

Spirit turned to the end of the street. The explosion happened at the edge of the Ghost Shield. Wait? The Ghost Shield was falling? Is that where Danny was? Did he want to turn off the Ghost Shield?

Boom! Rumble!

…Well, if so, he was going overboard, and that was her job!

Spirit flew to where the explosion. She wanted to stop the riot, but she would need Phantom's help. Together with Red Huntress, they might be able to stop the madness.

When Spirit arrived at the area where Phantom was, she was surprised. A robot that obviously belonged to the Guys in White was fighting Phantom. Well, fighting was a relative term. Phantom seemed to be struggling to keep up.

The robot punched Phantom in the face and knocked him into a nearby car. Missiles appeared out of the robot's shoulders and shot at Phantom. The halfa managed to move out of the way to avoid the damage, but the explosion knocked him forward.

Phantom used this extra moment, though. He rolled forward and quickly formed an ice broad sword. The halfa then lunged toward the robot and swung the ice sword.

Green blades sprung from the robot's wrists. It used the blade on his left wrist to block the ice sword. The robot then tried to use his other blade to cut Phantom. Luckily, Phantom lunged backwards to avoid the blade.

Spirit decided to use this opportunity to attack the robot. She flew towards the back of the robot and decided to do a sneak attack. The female halfa covered her foot in ectoplasm and kicked at the robot.

"Spirit, no!" Phantom tried to warn his sister.

Spirit's kick made contact. "AHHHH!" She screamed in pain as electricity surged through her body.

('Robot swings its arm. Blade cuts throat. Blood pores out…') Spirit's Premonition warned her of the robot's intention, so she lunged back in order to avoid the terrible attack. The blade missed her by a hair.

"The Necromancer's made of ectoranium!" Phantom shouted. "Touching him will only hurt you!"

"Then how do we fight him?!" Spirit circled around and flew next to her brother.

"No physical contact." Phantom instructed. "You fight from a distance and I'll use my sword to cut him up."

"Okay…" Spirit nodded.

"**Recognized. Spirit.**" The Necromancer processed this new information. "**Ectoplasmic power: 5. Threat level: Average.**"

"Average?!" Spirit was outraged. "I'll show you average, you piece of garbage!"

"Don't lose focus." Phantom instructed. "This thing is dangerous. It had a Ghost Shield built into it, but I managed to make it turn the shield off. We need to hold it off until help arrives. Where's R.H. anyway?"

"Trying to control the crowd. She saw me go and probably thought we could handle this." Spirit explained.

"Right." Phantom rubbed his shoulder. He managed to heal him arm mostly, but it still hurt a lot. Just holding the sword was a pain. Swinging it? That hurt like hell.

"**Recommended** **tactic: Wide spread attack.**" The Necromancer analyzed. Its armor shifted. Various guns and weapons appeared.

"Oh, crap…" Phantom noted.

* * *

><p>The fight was not going well. The Necromancer was made to fight against ghosts, so none of their normal attack worked. Spirit managed to dodge all the attacks, and Phantom's ice powers were giving him an edge, but things were not looking well.<p>

"**New tactic: close range elimination.**" The Necromancer announced. Once again, the blades came out of the weapon's wrists. In addition, blades came out of the weapon's knees.

"Danny! Fly up!" Spirit yelled.

Phantom followed his sister's instructions and flew up into the sky. He rose just in time to avoid being sliced up. Luckily, the Necromancer could not fly.

"Agh!" Phantom felt a blade cut his side as the Necromancer launched itself into the air. It may not be able to fly, but it could jump to unbelievable heights.

Before the Necromancer could continue, however, it was blasted down by a ball of snow energy. Phantom felt a wave of relief hit him. Help had arrived.

"Sorry I'm late, Danny." Klemper noted.

"It's fine…" Phantom sighed. He focused on healing his wounds. Right now was not the time to be hurt.

"Is there a reason there are riots all over town?" Klemper questioned.

"It's spread that far?" Phantom questioned.

"Yeah, the others are out calming things down. I even convinced Ember to help." Klemper noted.

"How did you do that?" Phantom questioned.

"Bribes." Klemper explained.

"Ah?" Phantom would have explained more on his question, but the Necromancer took action.

The Necromancer lunged at the two. The blades on its wrists were ready to cut at the two. Both ghost lunged in different directions in order to avoid being cut. Because it viewed Phantom as the bigger threat, however, it continued to follow after the halfa.

Phantom continued to retreat as the Necromancer jumped after him. It was a difficult task to keep moving considering the cut at his side. He wouldn't bleed out, but like the wound on his shoulder, it still hurt significantly. If he tried to attack, he might flinch and end up dead.

Seeing her brother's distress, Spirit sent several blasts of ectoplasm at the machine. Each made contact, but did almost no damage at all. Her attacks weren't strong enough to pierce its ectoranium armor. The female halfa didn't let up, though. She continued to try and strike the machine down.

Klemper wasn't idle either. He followed up behind the machine and the halfa. He tried to use his ice to freeze the Necromancer's joints. This slowed the machine down a little, but the Necromancer continued its chase after Phantom.

Luckily, Klemper's and Spirit's assistance provided an opening for Phantom. He quickly kicked the machine in its head. The blow did manage to send the Necromancer in the air away from him, but felt his foot go numb from the physical contact with the ectoranium.

"Dammit…" Phantom groaned in pain as he landed on the ground. He was covered in small cuts. Nothing was lethal, but he could feel his skin cry out in pain as if it was on fire. The wounds were quickly healed, but Phantom was running out of energy already. His regeneration power was one of his most draining powers, right behind the Ghostly Wail.

"You okay, Phantom?" Klemper helped his friend stay on his feet.

"I'll live." Phantom grunted out. "But we should retreat. We know nothing about this weapon besides that its purpose is to eradicate ghosts."

"Good idea," Klemper noted. "Spirit, retreat!"

Spirit frowned at that. She didn't want to leave the fight, but things were not looking well. Phantom was wearing down, and none of her attacks had any effect…she knew she needed to work on her raw power! Ugh…fine then…"Okay! Meet you at home!"

"I can fly." Phantom got out of Klemper's grip. "Let's go. We have to leave before it puts up a Ghost Shield."

The ghost's all tried to fly off. Spirit went in one direction, and Phantom and Klemper went in another. The Necromancer would probably give chase, but they would be able to run and hide long enough to either lose it or for help to arrive.

"Ahhhh!" Phantom felt several ecto-bullets and ecto-blasts hit his back and wounded side. He instantly fell to the ground in pain.

Hitting the ground, Phantom realized that Klemper was hit as well. He was lying about ten meters away from him. The ice ghost looked somewhat hurt, but not as nearly as bad as Phantom was injured.

Looking around, Phantom realized what happened. Some of the Guys in White had returned. Each one had a smoking gun pointed in their direction. That means that Phantom's comrades broke up the riot or the GIW…dealt with the people. Phantom wasn't sure which was true, because more GIW seemed to be approaching the area. They all looked ready to shoot Phantom…

"No!"

"Stop it!

"Bark!"

Cries rang out as Phantom's comrades stopped the approaching GIW. Wulf and Cujo had jumped the group that had shot at Phantom and Klemper earlier. Ember and Red Huntress worked to stop the approaching group.

Relief hit Phantom. His friends were here. He was scared for a moment. He thought that it was over…

Something caught Phantom's eyes. Something was running at him rapidly. The Necromancer had returned.

Phantom tried to move, but he couldn't get himself to fly. He was too weak from his regeneration, so Phantom tried to push himself out of the way, but his right foot was still numb from kicking the Necromancer's head as hard as he did. His friends couldn't help either, they were struggling to get out of their current fights. Maybe he could-

It was too late. The Necromancer was merely yards away from him. Its blades were ready to strike.

In the next moment, the road was splattered in green blood.

* * *

><p>"Spirit!" Plasmius grabbed a GIW and knocked him out with a simple punch before the agent could shoot at his daughter. "Be more careful! These morons are everywhere"<p>

"Sorry!" Spirit flew up to her father. "But Danny said to retreat and meet back at home."

"Good, strategy." Plasmius nonchalantly sent a wave of ectoplasm act three GIW agents. "But it might not be effective. Swarms of GIW were heading to your previous location."

"Oh, no!" Spirit scowled as she split kicked two GIW and sent them rolling. "Danny and Klemper might be getting all the action!"

"No they won't!" Plasmius dodged a couple of ecto-bullets and sent an exploding ball of energy at his attackers. "Daniel's friends went to help them. I came to make sure you're safe."

"Are the people okay? The riot looked bad." Spirit noted as tilted her head to avoid being shot.

"We stopped part of it by taking the civilians to somewhere safe, but the GIW that were freed because of it headed to your location." Plasmius knocked another GIW out by head-butting him. "We had to leave the rest behind to come save you!"

Spirit frowned at that. "Okay, but-" ('Necromancer lunges at downed body. Blade makes contact. Blood flies everywhere.')

The Premonition hit her like a ton of bricks. The Necromancer's intent was to kill someone, yet…it wasn't anywhere near her. It was weird enough that she could sense the intent of a machine, but add in the fact that it was probably still down the street with Danny…

…down the street with Danny…

"NO!" Spirit flew back towards her brother at her highest speeds. She ignored her father's shouting at her. There was not time. She had to save Danny!

As Spirit approached where she last saw Danny, she tried to figure out what to do. She couldn't hurt the Necromancer as she was, but she had to do something.

Luckily, she hadn't moved too far from Phantom and Klemper, so she quickly caught sight of them. She ignored her friends fighting the GIW and instead focused on Phantom. He seemed to be injured very badly. The halfa looked like he couldn't even move, which was a bad thing considering that the Necromancer was heading right to him.

Despite the fact that Spirit was flying towards Danny as fast as she possibly could, Spirit knew that she wouldn't make it in time. She wasn't nearly fast enough to cover that much ground in such a short amount of time. As she flew toward the doomed halfa, all she could do was watch. None of her distant attacks would even faze the Necromancer.

That didn't stop her from trying though.

"Stop it!" Spirit cried as she saw the machine lunge at her brother. The Necromancer didn't stop though. It thrust both its blades at Phantom.

Spirit froze as she saw the green ectoplasmic blood splatter. It wasn't Danny's blood, however. No someone had protected Phantom as a human shield…

It couldn't be…Spirit felt tears run down her face.

It was Klemper.

* * *

><p><em>Phantom felt numb as he saw the duel blades stick out of his friend's back. During the Necromancer's charge, Phantom didn't even notice as Klemper got to his feet. Phantom didn't recognize that Klemper was coming to his aid. In fact, he could barely register what was happening right in front of his eyes.<em>

"_No…" Phantom mumbled weakly…_

"_NOOOOO!" Phantom heard Spirit yell, but Phantom couldn't focus on that. He didn't care that his friends had managed to abandon their fights in order to charge at the Necromancer. The halfa didn't even flinch as the others managed to peal the Necromancer away from Klemper._

_Phantom did notice however that Klemper was now falling backwards because he wasn't being held up anymore._

_Catching the ice ghost and gently lowering him to the ground, Phantom asked. "Why? That was meant for me? You…didn't have to…"_

"_I couldn't let you die…" Klemper's voice came out as a mere whisper._

"_Yes, you could have!" Phantom felt tears fall down his face. "I don't want anyone to die because of me!"_

"_It's because of you that I ever felt like I was alive in the first place…" Kelmper gasped out green blood. "You gave me my obsession…"_

"_What?" Phantom mumbled._

"_All I ever wanted was one friend…." Klemper noted. "It was because of you that I got it…"_

"_Klemper, I…" Phantom couldn't come up with any words to make this any better._

"_And what did I get? I didn't get friends…I got a family…" Klemper smiled as tears of joy flowed from his eyes._

_Phantom merely sobbed._

"_A crazy, dysfunctional family that goes out and fights for what they think is right…the best family…" Klemper laughed weakly._

_Despite the situation, Phantom had to marvel the change in Klemper that he had never noticed before. Gone was the hideous face, terrible hunch, and whinny voice. All Phantom could see now was Klemper's normal face, straight back, and deep voice. How had he never noticed before…_

"_So much has changed…" Phantom whispered. "I liked it the way it was yesterday…Why can't we go back to then…"_

"_It doesn't work that way…" Klemper noted. "What has happened can't be undone…I'm sorry... I've been trying to hold it back for a little bit longer…to be with my family as long as possible."_

"_What are you talking about?" Phantom could barely see through the hot tears staining his face._

_A single ball of light floated off of Klemper. It was then followed by two more. Then, there were dozens of balls of light floating off of Klemper. It couldn't be…_

"_My purpose…my obsession has been fulfilled for months now…" Klemper explained with a smile. "I couldn't let myself leave you guys alone. You all needed me."_

"_We still do…" Phantom sobbed softly. "We need your help. I need your help. Don't leave. Be my friend…be my family just a little longer."_

"_I'm sorry, Danny." Klemper's form was quickly fading. "Maybe if this hadn't happened, but now I have to go home…I'll tell Desiree you said hi."_

"_No…" Phantom trembled._

"_Goodbye, Danny." Klember gave one last smile. "Thank you for being my friend…"_

"_Not a friend…a brother…" Phantom cried._

"_I'm…so…glad…" With that, Klemper's form finally faded._

_Phantom continued to kneel down of the ground. He looked at the spot where Klemper had just been. Phantom felt cold…so cold…not like the usual cold either. This…hurt. It was a familiar pain. It was the pain of loss…_

"_AHHH!" Phantom shouted in despair. It wasn't fair! Why did someone else die because of him!?_

_The cold slowly overtook Phantom. His skin stung like it was dipped in ice water. His bones felt frozen. The tears on his face froze, leaving ice streaks on his face._

_Blue light began to dance around Phantom. It covered him in a cloak of despair. Phantom clenched his teeth in terrible pain. Cold! Cold! Is was so cold! Make it stop!_

"_**AHHHHHHH!**__" Phantom was lost in the chill of despair. He could see nothing but the terrible blue light of Klemper's death._

* * *

><p>(Play: Bodies by Drowning Pool)<p>

Spirit was in a rage. Her Premonition was screaming at her, but the female halfa didn't listen. She didn't care if she got hurt. All she wanted to do was destroy the Necromancer.

"Raw!" Tears ran down Spirit's face. She couldn't thing right now. If she did think, she might have a mental collapse.

None of Spirit's attacks had any effect on the Necromancer. Each ecto-blast merely bounced off the machine. Unfortunaelty, Spirit didn't have that much help. Wulf, Cujo, and Red Huntress all got preoccupied trying to hold back the GIW. So the only ally she had right now was…Ember.

"Crumble!" Ember sent a sound blast at the Necromancer. This seemed a little more effective than the regular blasts, but there was still very little effect. "Hold on, girl! I'm all for acting without thinking, but this thing is too dangerous to keep…"

"Ah!" Spirit once again lunged at the Necromancer.

"**New tactic: Midrange attacks.**" The blades retreaded. In their places were round panels that spread across the Necromancer's joints. Each panel flowed green with energy.

Spirit was forced to dodge to the left as the Necromancer shot a blast of ectoplasm at her. Unfortuantely, it didn't stop. The Necromancer sent serveral smaller faster blasts at the halfa. Spirit cried out in pain as they made contact and blew up against her skin.

Suddenly the blasts stop as Spirit heard the sound of a guitar being strummed. Ember was right next to spirit was using her powers to shield them.

The Necromancer kept attacking, however. It sent more powerful blasts at the ghost. The shield held strong for a while, but was beginning to crack.

Ember grunted as she continued to play her guitar. "I can't hold the shield much longer."

"Good!" Spirit growled through her tears. "I'll tear it apart!"

"You're hurt enough as it is!" Ember looked at Spirit's cuts and bruises. "Danny will die if you get hurt too."

"Shut up, I-"

"_**AHHHHHHH!**__"_ Spirit and Ember heard a terrible yell. The air suddenly became incredibly cold. Frost formed on the ground all around them. Everyone felt an incredible Haunting Aura spread across the area.

At that moment everyone stopped what they were doing. They all looked at the looked in fear at the source of the freezing temperature and rage filled Haunting Aura.

Phantom stood there. Blue energy danced around him angrily. Ice formed on his body. The ice on his arms shaped into long sharp claws, while the ice on his leg formed into braces that connected Phantom's feet to the ground. Icicles hung from the halfa's hair.

Frost and ice slowly formed over the halfa's wounds. The ice didn't heal the wounds, however. It would merely dull the pain and keep them from becoming worse.

What really shook Spirit up was Phantom's face. The halfa's lips were twisted into a gruesome snarl. He held the look of pure hatred on his face. His eyes…were pure blue. There were no pupils. His entire eyes were glowing blue balls of hate.

"**RAWWWW!**" Phantom roared as he flung his giant claws into the air.

The response was immediate. Every GIW turned their weapons towards Phantom and sent a barrage of ecto-blasts to strike the halfa down. None of the blasts even made contact, though. The blue light surrounding the halfa froze the ecto-blasts and then shattered the chunks of ectoplasm.

"What?" Ember mumbled in shock. "Danny's ice powers aren't that strong…"

"**GRRR!**" Phantom snarled at the GIW. A massive snowball formed above Phantom. With a fling of his wrist, the snowball was sent flying towards the group of GIW. Wulf, Cujo, and Red Huntress barely managed to fly out of the way, but the GIW were not so lucky. The Haunting Aura had them frozen in place. They were completely covered in a blanket of snow in an instant.

"What are you doing!?" Red Huntress shouted weakly through the Haunting Aura. "You could have hit us!"

"**RAW!**" Phantom completely ignored the ghost hunter and turned towards the Necromancer.

"**Scanning…Danger, ectoplasm level at dangerous levels. Exceeds level 10. Recommended tactic: Complete annihilation. Activating reserve power.**" The Necromancer began to change. This time, however, he had all the weapons he had used before. The close range, mid-range, and far range weapons were ready to go. Spirit realized that using all these weapons at once would require an absurd amount of energy.

The Necromancer sent several rockets at the halfa. Each one soared at Phantom with dizzying speeds. In response, Phantom swiped his ice flaws up and struck the missiles. The following explosion destroyed the claws, but Phantom quickly reformed them with ease.

The ice bracing Phantom's legs to the ground shattered as Phantom stepped forward. As soon as Phantom's feet landed on the ground, they froze to the ground again. The cycle continued as Phantom continued to approach the Necromancer. Spirit wondered what would happen if the braces weren't there. From the wounds on his right leg, she assumed that her brother would collapse.

"Move!" Ember grabbed Spirit and dragged the halfa away. The siren ghost wasn't looking too well. In fact, everyone was looking pretty bad. The Haunting Aura was suffocating and made movement slow and difficult.

"Uhg…" Spirit grunted as she rolled on the ground.

Ember struggled to get up. "Keep moving. We need to get out of the way."

As the two ghosts moved, the Necromancer charged at Phantom. It sent several rockets and ecto-blasts, but each one was swatted away. The Necromancer closed in on Phantom. It's armor became covered in ice and frost.

The Necromancer moved to stab Phantom, but once again, Phantom used his claws to block. With their arms preoccupied, the Necromancer brought its knee up to use the blade attached to stab at Phantom's midsection.

Phantom didn't dodge. A thick layer of ice formed where the Necromancer was stabbing at. The blade sunk deeply into the ice and barely nicked the halfa's skin.

The Necromancer was far from down, though. Its eyes began to glow intensely. Ectoplasmic energy poured out of its eyes and hit Phantom in the face. Despite the new burns and injuries, Phantom didn't flinch. The halfa's claws began to shake as the blades began to break under the pressure.

To everyone's schock, Phantom managed to shatter the ectoranium blades. In the procees, Phantom's claws were destroyed, but Phantom didn't seem to care. He then brought his hands to the blades on the Necromancer's knees and grabbed them.

Those blades shattered also. Then, in a blast of blue light, the Necromancer was sent flying down the street. The ball of blue energy that was pushing the machine left a trail of ice behind in its wake.

"Spirit!" Plasmius flew towards the halfa. He didn't seem affected by the Haunting Aura at all. "What happened?!"

"Klemper…" Spirit felt tears fall down her face. "He's… gone…"

"No…" Plasmius turned to look at his apprentice.

"**AHHHHH!**" Phantom screamed. His hands were badly cut and bleeding. Luckily, the ice reformed into claws and closed the wounds.

"This power…" Plasmius glared. Three of his duplicates had dragged Red Huntress, Wulf, and Cujo behind him, so he could shield them from the Haunting Aura. "I can fell Klemper's power. As he…passed…he must have left his the rest of his power to Daniel. That's why he became so powerful so quickly."

"Like with Vortex?" Red Huntress questioned. "But Danny never acted like this…"

"The pain of the loss and the overwhelming power has caused a mental collapse. He's fighting like a wild animal." Plasmius frowned. "No control, and without control, the foreign power will continually wear down his body."

"He looks fine, though." Ember noted.

"He may look fine, but the cold is tearing his body apart." Plasmius noted. "I need to stop him…"

"No! He needs to kill the Necromancer first!" Spirit shouted.

"Danielle, I can't-"

Boom!

Something blew up against Phantom. The Necromancer was using most of its rockets and missiles to try and kill Phantom from a distance, but Phantom formed a large wall of ice to block to block them. Most of the missiles hit the shield, but others moved around the shield and hit Phantom's exposed body. Luckily, the blue light surrounding Phantom managed to block most of the force.

"**RAW!**" Phantom screamed. He flung his left hand arm towards the Necromancer. The ice claw was sent flying towards the Necromancer. The machine dodged the ice claw and began to run towards the halfa again. It didn't even notice as the claw obliterated the spot where it just stood.

The Necromancer gather ectoplasm to its palm in order to blast the halfa. It closed in and prepared to attack. The machine didn't even get close, though.

"**RAW!**" Phantom roared as he slashed the right ice claw at the Necromancer. The sharp claws made contact. Deep slash marks ran across the Necromancer's body. If it were made of anything other than ectoranium, then the ectoplasmic ice attack would have cut the machine into five pieces.

The Necromancer shook and rattled at the damage. Several of its key parts were either destroyed or damaged. It couldn't move properly, and Phantom took advantage of the situation.

Phantom stabbed his claws forward and impaled the Necromancer. With a flick of the wrist, Phantom flung the machine to the ground. The Necromancer quickly turned off because of the internal damage. This was not enough for the halfa, however.

Phantom stood over the machine. He repeatedly stabbed the machine. The halfa was relentless in his rage filled attack. Soon, the Necromancer was more holes than machine.

"Danny?" Red Huntress stared in shock as the halfa destroyed the machine.

"Daniel!" Plasmius stormed up to his ward and left the others unshielded from the Haunting Aura. "That's enough."

Phantom ignored him.

"I said that's enough! You'll kill yourself if you continue!" Plasmius reach out to Phantom.

Phantom responded by batting the older halfa away like a fly.

"Plasmius!" Ember cried as Plasmius flew into the side of the building.

"(Friend, stop!)" Wulf growled out.

"**ROAR!**" Phantom took hold of the Nectromancer's head. Electricity ran through Phantom as he came in direct contact with the ectoranium. Phantom ignored the searing pain in his hands and began to crush the Necromancer's head.

It exploded in a burst of blue light.

"**AHHHH!**" Phantom screamed in agony. His eyes glazed over as the tears in his eyes froze before they could fall.

"Danny…" Red Huntress began to cry as well. "Klemper…"

The rest of the ghosts mourned as well. They had lost a friend today, and none of them could fault Danny in destroying the machine that killed him.

"Surround him!"

"Don't get too close!"

"I feel so heavy, though!"

"It's the Haunting Aura, just shake it off!"

It seemed that the GIW had managed to escape the snow and were circling the halfa. Each one had a weapon ready. Phantom ignored them however, and continued to flare around and yell.

"Don't shoot at him!" Plasmius yelled as he pulled himself out of the building.

He was too late, though.

The GIW opened fire at the halfa. The result was no different from before, however. The blasts froze and shattered before they could get close. Each ecto-bullet lacked the power necessary to hurt the halfa in his current state.

What the GIW did manage, however, was to get Phantom's attention. Looking around, Phantom realized that he had new targets to take his anger out on. "**AHHH!**"

Blue light spread across the ground around the GIW. Large chucks of ice sprang up from the ground. Every GIW was sent sprawling. They were all on the ground broken and hurt.

Phantom then walked over to the closest GIW. He raised his arm and was ready to strike.

He felt Plasmius grab his raised arm. "Enough."

Phantom struggled to stab the GIW.

"I said enough!" Plasmius ignored the pain as ice covered his skin.

Phantom didn't listen.

"This isn't you!" Plasmius shouted.

Phantom's claws slowly began to extend. They drew closer to the man on the ground. "**RAW!**"

"Sniff…sob…sniff…"

Phantom froze. What…what was that noise?

"Ahhh…sniff…sob."

Someone was crying. It sounded so familiar.

"…Klemper…" Spirit's voice cracked as she sobbed over her lost friend.

Phantom stood up straight and turn. As he did so, Plasmius let go of his ward. The older halfa turned to see what made Phantom stop. He was surprised by what he saw.

Spirit had moved to where Klemper had…passed. She was quietly sobbing over the last spot Klemper was. Despite this, her eyes were glued on Phantom. She showed no judgment on what was happening. She was waiting to see what he would do.

She was watching…

The coldness vanished in an instant. The ice on Phantom shattered. His eyes turned back to their normal green as he pupils reformed. Klemper's borrowed power was gone.

Phantom instantly crumbled into a heap. Luckily, Plasmius was there to catch the halfa. "I'm sorry, Daniel."

"…Take me to her…" Phantom mumbled.

Without out a word, Plasmius complied with Phantom's wishes. When they arrived at Spirit's location, Plasmius gently placed Phantom on the ground. He then took a step back and bowed his head in mourning of a good friend to his daughter and apprentice.

"Dani…" Phantom cried. "I'm so sorry."

"I…he…they…" Spirit broke down as she hugged her brother tightly. "I don't want him to be gone!"

"Me neither…" Phantom said in between sobs. "…me neither…"

The two adopted siblings held each other and sobbed. That was all they could do.

* * *

><p>"I have finished, child." Technus spoke to Danny as the halfa was packing.<p>

"Thank you Technus." Danny looked across the lab. After they managed to get home, Danny immediately dragged Technus to the lab. He claimed that he needed the tech ghost to repay his debt.

Perhaps he should be more focused on his own injuries, but Danny was too mad to care. He merely bandaged his wounds, took some pain killers, and got to work. If he were too look in a mirror, Danny would realize that he looked terrible. His entire body was covered in wounds. He could barely stand, and his entire body trembled in pain. Despite this, he kept working.

"I can see why you were having trouble with the final calibrations." Technus noted. "It might have been difficult if not for my incredible abilities with technology. But it is done. I must say, though. This was the easiest debt that I have ever had to repay. Was it wise to cash in a favor on such a small thing?"

"This thing will make all the difference." Danny looked over at the black cylinder. "Without it my plan will fail."

"Then perhaps you were wise to make sure it works perfectly." Technus noted. "We won't know until the end, eh youngster?"

"I suppose not…" Danny mumbled.

"I shall return to my room, then." As Technus was leaving, he stopped for a moment. "I may be a critic of emotion, but if it helps…I am sorry child."

"I wish it did." Danny almost growled out.

"I didn't think it would." Technus noted as he left. "It was worth a shot, though, I suppose…"

Now that he was left alone, Danny went back to packing. On the table in front of him were a few specialized weapons for the trip. There was also some emergency rations. But the most unusual thing was that Danny had took all of the ghost artifacts from the vault.

"Daniel…" Vlad came out of the elevator. "Danielle has finally fallen asleep."

Danny grunted.

"It might have helped…calm her…if you stayed with her." Vlad noted sadly.

Danny was silent.

"…Do you even care that your sister cried herself to sleep?"

Danny froze. "Do I care? You're asking if I care…"

Danny turned to face his mentor, and Vlad was shocked. Danny's face was one of untold rage. Vlad hadn't seen that face since the Nocturne Crisis.

"Of course I care!" Danny shouted. "But how the hell am I supposed to face her right now?! I'm a damn wreck, and you can be sure that I can't control my temper! I'll make things worse before I make them better!"

"Daniel…" Vlad mumbled.

"It was my fault." Danny admitted. "I had to keep being the damn hero. If I just stopped, then Klemper never would have even been in that situation."

"The world is full of what ifs, Daniel." Vlad noted. "Speculating won't change what happened."

"Yeah…nothing will change it, but I can prevent it from every happening again." Danny growled as he turned to his packing.

"What are you doing?" Vlad asked suspiciously.

"Packing for a trip. I'll be back in a week at least." Danny's answer came out more angrily than he wanted.

"You're leaving at a time like this?" Vlad stormed up to Danny's work space.

"Yep."

"Are you crazy?! I know that you're hurting right now, but leaving is not an option!" Vlad glared. "After what the GIW just did, there is going to be chaos in the Ghost Zone. War will be demanded, and you promised Vision that-"

"So this is about your new girlfriend?" Danny snarled. "Is she suddenly more important than me and Dani?!"

"No!" Vlad grabbed Danny by his shoulders. "But I don't think you really understand what all this means."

"I know exactly what will happen, Vlad." Danny slapped the man's hands away. "The ghosts will rally behind Vision. The ghosts will attack first. People will get hurt and die, and I won't let that happen!

"Today…today is just an example. The entire city had my back, and they paid for it. Some arrested, some being held in their homes, some in the hospital…and one of my closest friends died." Tears once again sprung from Danny's eyes. "I won't let anyone else I care about get caught up in all this because of me."

"This isn't your fault, Daniel." Vlad tried to comfort his ward.

"Yes it is, Vlad! Don't lie to me!" Danny shouted. "All of my choices have merely pushed this conflict further! The Nasty Burger Incident, the Nocturne Crisis, my kidnapping, the Council of the Elite, the Vortex Storm Watch, and even the Riot of Amity Part as everyone seems to be calling it…it's all influenced this in some way. Both sides of myself have been the fuel to this fire."

"It was inevitable." Vlad countered. "Without you, things would have been far worse. You aren't the fuel, you're the man trying to put the fire out."

"Yet they only get worse…" Danny mumbled. "I need to stop this. I need to keep this city and my family safe…"

"…What will you do?" Vlad questioned. He saw that he wouldn't be able to stop Danny from going.

"I need to stall for time at the very least." Danny pulled out his Tucker Phone and showed Vlad the pictures on it. "Remember, I have allies that are high up. Batman will work to repeal the Anit-Ectoterrorist Act. Superman likes both sides of me and will most likely get the people on my side. Not to mention that Wonder Woman is in the U.N. as the representative for the Amazons. She likes Dani and will fight to keep her safe.

"Not to mention all the other allies I have in the Justice League. They can handle the human world, all I need to do is stall the Ghost Zone. If I can prove that the humans won't or can't attack the Ghost Zone, then everyone will stay calm for now. Torch, Scribe, Frostbite, and Pandora already stated that they don't want war, and Vision would only attack if necessary. If it's unnecessary, then they won't do it. That will be enough…I hope." Danny put his phone away.

"And how do you plan to prove that?" Vlad questioned.

"The GIW are the main force the humans has to fight ghosts besides the Justice League. If I can prove the Necromancer was a onetime thing, and they don't have enough resources and power to attack, then everyone will be satisfied." Danny reasoned.

"The GIW? How do you plan to get that kind of information?" Vlad asked.

"They must have bases all over the world." Danny noted. "I just need to find one and download all the information I can."

"How will you find one of those bases?"

"Because of Technus, I know where one is. The GIW are working with Scarecrow. Scarecrow is in Gotham City. If I go there and find the Scarecrow, I find the GIW." Danny rationalized. "I can't tell Batman, though. He can't know that the ghosts are ready to attack."

"Even then, you won't get one foot in the door before they sense your ecto-signiture." Vlad stated.

"Not if I wear a suit that both hides my signature and makes me one of the world's deadliest hand-to-hand fighters." Danny pointed to the black cylinder.

"Wow…" Vlad was impressed by this plan...or its stupidity. Danny wasn't sure which it was. "But…I can't let you go alone. It's too dangerous."

"I won't let anyone else go with me." Danny's last words were barely audible. "I won't let any more of my family die because of me…"

"It's suicide alone." Vlad sighed.

"Then I'll enlist help." Danny glared at the table. "I'm technically an outlaw now. Getting help from the underbelly of Gotham will be easy if I pay the right price."

Vlad gained a pained look. "Then I will see you when you get back."

"…Vlad, if I don't come back…" Danny began.

"Don't say that." Vlad snapped.

"If I don't come back, then I'll make sure no one will ever connect Phantom and Fenton. You and Dani will be safe. Tell the media that I ran away." Danny gave a weak and obviously fake smile. He picked up a gun. "I'll keep your involvement secret no matter what, even if I have to end it myself."

"Daniel, stop this!"

"Tell Valerie that she needs to stop the hero thing. It will be too dangerous after this, and I won't be there to have her back. Tell Wulf that I went to make sure he stays free. He'll need some closure if he loses another friend. Tell Ember that I'm sorry I never got that music lesson. I would have really enjoyed it. Oh! And give Cujo a big bone for me…"

"Please, stop…"

"And tell Dani that she my sister. Genetics, science, and even death won't change that. And tell her thank you. She was the person that kept me sane for so long after I lost everything."

Vlad trembled. His back was now to Danny, so Danny couldn't see his face. "I'll tell them…"

"Thank you Vlad," Danny picked up the last item he had yet to back into the Fenton Portable Crammer. It was the black cylinder. "You've been the best teacher I could ever ask for. After I leave, take Dani and leave. Get away from Amity Park. It won't be safe here for long."

"Yes…you're right." Vlad walked to the elevator. "We will leave tomorrow."

"Good." Danny nodded. "Goodbye, Vlad."

"Goodbye, Daniel." And with that, he was gone.

Danny looked down at the cylinder in his hand. He had forgotten to tell Vlad one more thing. He wanted to tell Dani thank you for giving him such a great design for the suit. For on the front of the cylinder, there was one big red letter. The letter that Dani had so graciously wrote across his notes…

Red X

* * *

><p><em>That day, Danny was filled with a terrible rage. He was angry at everyone for what happened, especially himself. Truthfully, the anger and hate was always there, but now, Danny let the world see it.<em>

_I never blamed him, and no one else did. We all were hurting, and each of us separated to deal with the grief in our own way. Maybe we should have comforted him. Maybe Wulf should have been with Danny instead of howling in the Ghost Zone. Maybe Ember should have confronted him instead of throwing herself into music. Maybe Valerie should have cried on Danny's shoulder instead of crying in her room over the friend she never knew she made…_

_Maybe I should have been there for my brother instead of clutching Cujo in my bed, but none of us could barely hold in our own sorrow. We wouldn't have been able to help Danny properly._

_There I go with those what ifs again…I suppose I should look at what is instead of what could be, because what happened after that was a story unlike any other…Or was it the end of one story and the beginning of another? It's hard to tell sometimes._

_My friends always thought that my Premonition was infallible, but its true lack of insight is hilarious. Having the intent to do something is far different than what will actually happen. If intent did equal the future, then it would be a terrible future. After all, the road to hell is paved with good intentions._

_And technically, almost everything that we've been through had someone trying to do some good, but was going about it the wrong way. It even happens to the "heroes" every now and then._

_I suppose that was Danny's biggest problem, too. He has so many good intentions, yet things never worked out the way he wanted. There was always a hitch in the plan. Something always went wrong. Hell broke loose eventually._

_Nothing exemplifies this more than what happened during the next month after the Riot of Amity Park._

_Indeed, nothing seemed to go as planned. But in all…I think the ending was better because no one could really predict what would happened. That's my opinion, at least.  
><em>

_-From the personal memoirs of Danielle Masters_

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you all for reading and please remember to...<strong>

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW  
><strong>


	18. Gotham

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Cast off your fear! Look forward! Go forward! Never stand still. Retreat and you will age. Hesitate and you will die."

Zangetsu (Bleach)

* * *

><p>Chapter 18: "Gotham"<p>

_Memory sequence begin_

"_Danny?" A fourteen year old Jazz Fenton walked into her brother's room. "Are you alright?"_

_Danny looked up from his desk. "Yeah! I'm fine! Just peachy!"_

"_Then why is your voice so abnormally high?" Jazz approached her twelve year old brother._

"_I'm just happy, happy, happy!" Danny's smile looked completely forced._

"_And I'm the queen of England." Jazz gave her brother an onceover. "Where did you get that black eye?"_

_Danny said nothing, but his smile dropped._

"_I heard about what happened." Jazz knelt down to look her brother in the eye. "Why didn't you fight back? You wouldn't get in trouble for protecting yourself."_

"_You don't understand…" Danny lowered his head in shame. "There was five of them. I couldn't do anything against them…"_

"_Then why didn't you go get an adult?" Jazz frowned. "Why just let yourself get beat up instead of defending yourself? You know that now that I'm in high school I can't protect you."_

"_I…was scared." Danny mumbled. "If I fought back, the beating would have been worse, and my friends might have gotten involved."_

_Jazz sighed. "I see…"_

"_I know that you're disappointed." Danny whispered. "I'm sorry I'm so weak…"_

"_You aren't weak, Danny." Jazz noted as put her arm around her brother's shoulder. "Being afraid is natural, especially if you're afraid for the people you care about."_

"_But Winston Churchill said, 'There's nothing to fear but fear itself'." Danny noted. "I'm afraid of a lot more things than fear itself. Bullies, getting hurt, losing my friends…"_

"_You're misinterpreting what he meant." Jazz smiled gently. "He wasn't saying that you should never be afraid."_

"_Huh?" Danny questioned._

"_Everyone has fears." Jazz explained. "There are no exceptions, but we have to stand up to our fears and fight back, otherwise we lose."_

"_Everyone has fears?" Danny questioned. "Even the superheroes?"_

"_Especially them." Jazz stated. "I read in my psychology book that the reason that they even became heroes was because they were afraid of people dying and bad guys getting away with their crimes."_

"_But how do they get over their fears?" Danny asked in a confused manner. "How come they don't just freeze like I do?"_

"_They use their fear as motivation." Jazz grinned. "Fear is just information. Information that there is danger and that something needs to be done. They act on that information and use it to make them stronger. An addreneline rush."_

"_A what?" Danny raised an eyebrow._

"_Er…how bout like a sugar rush? The fear acts like energy to make them stronger very quickly. It's the fight or flight instinct." Jazz said lamely._

"_So fear can make you stronger? But how come I just freeze?" Danny frowned. "Is it because I'm weak."_

"_No…sigh…Danny, you act like fear is a bad thing." Jazz stated. "It's information. You're just not used to it, yet."_

"_So…one day I won't be affected by fear?" Danny questioned._

"_Everyone is affected by fear. Some people just decided to use if positively." Jazz stood up. "Remember, fear isn't evil. It's information. What you do with that information is up to you, though."_

"…_You're really smart, Jazz." Danny smiled up at his sister._

"_I like to think so." Jazz beamed in pride. "Now, come on, dinner's ready. Mom cooked meatloaf."_

"_Now there's something to be scared about." Danny joked. "What if I used that information to pretend to be sick?"_

"_Then you'd be the smart one."_

_Memory sequence end_

* * *

><p>(Friday-May 7, 2010)<p>

Danny opened his eyes from the table he was sitting at. He must have dozed off. The coffee cup in front of him was cold. It made sense that he would fall asleep. He hadn't had a good night's rest in a while.

Looking around the room, Danny saw that the Starbucks he was in was rather busy. Students appeared to be finally out of class and decided to go get some coffee and hang out. They all looked like went to a private school, too, considering the official uniforms.

Danny checked to make sure his disguise was still okay. His hood was up and hiding his face and white hair. The baggy hoody and jeans he was wearing to hide his suit were fine. The weapons strapped to his side were still hidden. Good…

Danny felt rather weird having a second pair of clothing on, but it couldn't be helped. Masked vigilantes weren't new to Gotham, but he needed to remain incognito until the time was right. It didn't help that the suit was somewhat bulky. It had to be with all the tech Danny put into it, but trying to hide it was a pain.

"_Unfortuantely, Mayor Hill has yet to…"_

"_Beautiful day here in Gotham…"_

"_Wayne Tech stocks have risen…"_

Danny absentmindedly listened through his Fenton Phones to the reports being filtered by his Tucker Phone. Nothing major had happened yet, but in Gotham something always came up to draw the attention of the Batman. When something like that did happen, Danny's phone would alert him.

A well-known fact in Gotham was that if you ever wanted to get away with anything, you had to do it while Batman was busy. That meant, when the super villains attacked, then that was the opportunity to act. If you tried to do something illegal while Batman was ready, then you're bound to get caught.

…Of course, most criminals were caught afterwards anyway, but by that time, Danny hoped to be out of Gotham…

"Glad your dad actually let you come, Barb." A pair of girls walked by Danny's table. "He's so strict sometimes."

"He's just worried. He remembers what Gotham was like before the Batman." The red-headed girl noted.

"Please with the big bad Batman here…"

Ring! Beep! Ring! Danny's phone went off. Everyone one turned to see what the loud noise was.

"_Breaking news! Two Face is holding the mayor hostage. He claims that the politician is as duel faced as he is and is threatening to cut him into two…"_

That was all Danny needed to hear. Danny stood and began to walk out of the coffee shop. He probably had a couple of hours to get this done. He'd have to work fast. Time to find a good source of information.

As he walked out, everyone turned back to their own conversations. If he was leaving then he wasn't a threat…

"Everyone freeze!" The shout stopped Danny in his tracks.

A couple of men burst into the room. They held assault rifles and were pointing them angrily around the room. "Get on the floor!" They shot into the air.

The entire room instantly got to the floor. Danny did so as well. He didn't have time for this, but he didn't want attention to be drawn to him yet.

"Where's Barbra Gordon!?" One of the men shouted.

Whispers went around the room.

"All we want is the Commissioner's daughter! Two Face wants her as a bargaining chip!" Danny noted that the two men had on unusual masks. One side of the mask was white while the other was black.

Everyone was silent.

The men scanned the room. "There she is! Boss said she was a red-head!"

He grabbed the red haired girl and dragged her to her feet. "Come on, little girl!

"Let go of me!" The girl Barbra shouted.

"No one tries anything or we put a bullet in your skull!" The other thug shouted. "Let's go…"

Danny had an internal debate. He didn't want to draw too much attention to himself yet, but…The girl needed his help. Oh, well, he needed someone who knew this town to tell him where to start his search. It might as well be one of these idiots. Danny quickly pulled his mask over his head while still wearing the hood.

Bleep…swwwwwwng…beep. Danny grunted as his suit activated. He could feel the needles cut into his spine. His regeneration quickly kicked in and stopped any permanent nerve damage.

"What was that?" The men froze.

Bad mistake.

Danny quickly activated the teleport function of his suit. He was instantly behind the two men. With lightning quick speed, Danny disarmed the thugs, put the weapons on safety, and kicked the guns into the corner.

"What?!" The thugs turned to face Danny.

Before they could react, Danny hit the man holding the girl in the jaw. The man let go of the girl, and Danny pushed her to the side none too gently. He didn't react as she crashed onto the ground.

The other thug tried to punch Danny, but didn't get close. Danny kicked his legs out from under him. He crashed onto the ground painfully.

The man that Danny punched earlier took out a knife and stabbed at Danny. The teen easily blocked the stab. Extending the arm in his grasp completely, Danny jammed the arm as hard as he could. With a pop, the arm was taken out of its socket.

The man shouted in pain, but before he could grab his dislocated arm, Danny elbowed him in the temple. The thug was knocked out immediately.

Danny turned to the other man. He had just stood up and was charging at the masked teen. Danny quickly extended his left palm. The red x on his palm blasted out a large red x that latched onto the thug and trapped him. With that down, Danny merely pushed the man onto the ground.

"Eh? Thank you?" Barbra said from the ground as she held her sore side.

"I didn't do it for you…" Danny's voice came out dark and smooth.

"Great! Another freak playing hero!" The still conscious thug exclaimed.

"Hero? That's funny…" Danny kicked the man in the nose. It broke with a crack.

"He's down! You don't need to do that." The worker behind the counter yelled.

"It's one of the perks of my job." Danny lowered his hood. Everyone in the room gasped. The mask on Danny's head was shaped like a white skull in the front while the back was solid black. A large red x was on the mask's forehead. The skull seemed to be eerily grinning at everyone in the room. "Don't ruin my fun."

"Fun?" Barbara's eyes narrowed.

Red X knelt down and picked up the thug. "Hi, there. Let's have a little chat."

Red X's form blurred as he teleported himself and the thug out of the Starbucks.

"…What the hell just happened?" One of the other students asked what everyone was thinking.

Barbara looked at the spot her savior from which her savior disappeared. Suddenly, her face turned into a frown. She didn't like being a damsel in distress…

Perhaps she should take some more self-defense classes. If she remembered correctly…Dick was rather good with the martial arts. Maybe she should ask him for help…

* * *

><p>"Gah!" The thug grunted as he was thrown to the ground. Red X had teleported them to a nearby roof. "What do you want?!"<p>

"What do I want?" Red X sounded amused. "It's very easy…"

Red X turned the man on his back and planted his foot on the man's chest. The thug looked up fearfully. Red X had rid himself of the hoody and loose jeans. He was wearing black tech armor all over his body. Various red lights glowed in the armors joints and crevices. On the man's chest and boots were dark red X's.

Over the man's shoulders was a black cloak that flowed to his feet. It was torn and ripped in various places. The cloak hid most of Red X's body from vision. Perhaps it was meant to hide his movements.

"Tell me everything you know about the Scarecrow!" Red X growled.

"Scarecrow?!" The thug was shocked. "What do you want with that freak?"

"I've been hired to find him." Red X put pressure on the man's chest. "Where is he?"

"How the hell would I know?!" The thug questioned.

"I don't expect you to know…" Red X's dark voice made the man shiver. "But you know who does know. Tell me…who knows everything that happens with the super villains of Gotham?"

"Like hell I'll tell you!" The man snarled.

"Oh?" Red X knelt down and grabbed the man's right arm which was still trapped by the red x holding him. "I'll have to motivate you then…"

"Fu-AK YUA!" The man's scream hid the small crack of hi pinky finger.

"Language, good sir, language." Red X teased. "We don't need any of that."

"Ah…you bastard…" The man groaned. "AHCK!"

"There goes finger two." Red X chuckled. "Want to try for three?"

"O-okay, you psychopath!" The thug desperately yelled. "The Penguin! That midget had his stubby little fingers in everything in the underworld of Gotham. If Scarecrow needed supplies, equipment, or anything that he couldn't get through regular mean, he'd go to the Penguin!"

"Stop lying." Red X grabbed the man's middle finger. "I've never heard of a Penguin before. Now tell me the truth before I have to break another bird."

"I'm telling the truth! His name is Oswald Cobblepot! He's the supplier of the underworld! Even my boss has to get stuff from his sometimes!" The thug said desperately.

"Why would the Batman let him do this, though?" Red X questioned.

"I don't know. The guys think that the Batman lets him do it so he'll know what's going on!" The thug struggled to escape the red tape holding him.

"…Okay." Red X stood up. "Where can I find this Penguin?"

"The Iceberg Lounge!" The thug desperately said.

"Okay, then…" Red X's mask glared down at the man. "If you're lying I'll come find you."

"I'm not! Just let me go!"

"Oh? And I thought the Joker was the only one in Gotham that told bad jokes…" Red X chuckled.

"What?"

Crack! Red X's boot met the thug's head.

* * *

><p>Red X stood over the unconscious thug. What just happened? Did he really do that?<p>

He had never…interrogated someone before. Yet it felt so natural. Looking down at the broken fingers, Red X was surprised by what he felt…

Nothing. There was no disgust. There was no joy. He didn't fell anything.

Maybe he had felt angry and hateful during the interrogation, but now? After all was said and done, shouldn't he feel…bad?

Granted, Danny never claimed to be a moralist, but what he just did was, by every definition of the word…unethical. Yet, he didn't feel anything. Not to mention the fact that he wasn't even concerned about the captive girl. All he cared about was getting the info, and he made damn sure he got it…

Well… at least he didn't feel joy from it.

Turning, Red X didn't give the thug another thought. He had a mission to accomplish.

* * *

><p>The Iceberg Lounge wasn't what Red X thought it would be. Red X thought it would be a thug's hideout. He expected burly men and loose women to be at the entrance. What he saw was surprising for the base of a criminal.<p>

This Penguin's bar was actually one of the biggest nightclubs of Gotham. The rich and famous was entering the lounge without a care in the world. There was even laughter in the air.

Red X looked down at the fancy nightclub. He had originally planned just to barge in, but with so many people…

"_It appears that Batman and Robin are on the scene! Unfortunately, Two Face has city hall under guard. It may be some time…" _Red X grunted as he turned off the Fenton Phones under his mask. He was running out of time. Who knows how long it would take the Dynamic Duo to finish. It could be anywhere between five minutes to two hours.

Red X didn't want to take any risks with the time situation. He couldn't go into the Iceberg Lounge, though. He wasn't going to take off his Red X suit and wearing the baggy closes in a place like that…He'd be thrown out for sure.

"There has to be a back way in…" Red X circled around the roof tops. There was indeed a back entrance. Several guards were there. Jumping down into the alley, Red X approached the back door. His form was concealed in the shadows during his approach.

"Yeah! What you doing back here! Only Mr. Cobblepot's people are allowed to be back here!" One of the guards pulled out a gun and pointed it at Red X.

"I'm sorry, but you see, I have business with the Penguin." Red X stepped out of the shadows. The guards tensed when they caught sight of him. In Gotham, people in black armor and masks meant something was going down.

"And who the hell are you?!" The rest of the men pulled out their guns.

"A customer." Red X stated darkly. "And I'm sure the Penguin doesn't want you to turn away potential customer, especially high paying ones."

"Take off the mask then!" One of the guards shouted.

"That's strike one." Red X sighed. "I'll be willing to hand these over to you temporarily…" Red X move his cloak to the side to reveal duel ecto-pistols strapped to his belt. "But the mask is the deal breaker…"

"Shut up!" One guard shouted. "If you won't take off that dumb mask, then we'll just fill you full of bullets and rip if off your cold dead face."

"Strike two…" Red X teased. "Really, I would think that a crime lord would get smarter guards. Do you really think you can kill me?"

The men readied their guns.

"Apparently you do. Maybe you can mull over your mistake in the ER." Red X chuckled.

The guards fired their guns. Bullets flew at the form of Red X. Right before the bullets hit Red X, he activated a red shield which stopped all the bullets in their tracks. "What?!"

"Strike three…" The guards froze as the dark voice filled them with terror. "You're out…"

The sounds of cracking bones and cries of pain filled the alley.

* * *

><p>Red X walked through the back of the Iceberg Lounge. The employees gasped as the masked man stormed through their working place. One man, a waiter, tried to stop him.<p>

"You can't be back here!" The waiter grabbed Red X's shoulder.

Red X reacted by putting the man in a simple wrist lock. "Don't care. Where's the Penguin?"

"Ahh! Help! Call the-" Bam! Red X knocked the man out.

The other employees looked ready to panic, so Red X pulled out one of his pistols. "Shh…"

Silence.

"Where's the Penguin?" Red X asked again.

"Who wants to know?" A short overweight man approached the masked man. He didn't seem intimidated by the gun at all, but having two large guns by his side probably helped.

"A customer." Red X noted as he looked down at the man. He could instantly tell that this man was the Penguin. The black and white suit, crooked nose, and waddle like walk did make the man look like the flightless bird.

The Penguin barked out a laugh. "And you come in, hurt my guards, and threatened my employees…haghaghahaghag! I like you boy!"

Red X put his weapon away. "No offense, but I don't care if anyone likes me. I just want to get my job done."

"Haghaghaghag!" The Penguin laughed as he gestured the masked man into his office. "And I like you even more! Well said!"

The Penguin walked over to his desk. The two guards stood on either side of the man's desk. He quickly took off his top hat and sat down. Three beautiful woman instantly flocked to the man. "Ah…"

"I expected you to be mad at me for breaking your guards." Red X noted as he stood at the opposite side of the Penguin's desk.

"That just means I need new guards. They couldn't even stop a man that didn't even try to kill them. They're dead to me." Penguin took out a cigar. One of the woman leaning against him lit it.

"I see…" Red X…Danny…should care about that. He really should…but he didn't. He didn't care that the Penguin was implying that he would kill those men. All he cared about right now was the mission. He had to avenge Klemper.

"Say…you want a job?" Penguin took a large drag of his cigar. "I'm good to my people, and after you gain my trust, I might even trust you to run security for this joint."

"You're quick to make big offers." Red X noted.

"Haghaghaghag! And I'm quick to kill those who fail or betray me." Penguin laughed.

"I'll think about, but right now I have a job I have to finish." Red X sat down in the seat across from the Penguin. "I need all the information you have on Scarecrow's whereabouts. My employer is willing to pay for the info."

"Nos that…" Penguin noted. Another girl took a bottle and a couple glasses out from under his desk and pored a drink for the Penguin. The Penguin instantly took a sip of the drink. "Might be hard. Want some? Pore him a drink."

Red X stared at the glass for a moment. He shouldn't… "Sure."

Lifting up his mask enough to reveal his mouth Danny downed the drink in one swig. The alcohol burned his throat. 'What the hell am I doing?'

"Nice isn't it? It was a gift. I felt that the time was right…" Penguin sipped his drink.

Red X pulled down his mask and put the glass down. "Pretty good. Had a smoky taste…now about the..." Red X felt his head throb. Must be the after effects of his first drink. He ignored his slightly blurred vision. "Scarecrow?"

"As I said…" Penguin blew smoke at Red X. The short man's features suddenly seemed more pronounced. Despite the fact that he could almost feel the ugliness and evil rolling of the Penguin, the masked man didn't eve flinch. "That might be difficult. I just can't go and give out client's information like that. If I did, no one would be willing to go through me to get what they needed."

"I see…" Red X wasn't deterred. "So this is about customer loyalty?"

"Haghaghaghag! Exactly!" Penguin laughed out tons of smoke. The smoke surrounded Red X like a suffocating shroud.

"And what exactly is worth such loyalty?" Red X questioned.

"Now you're talking my language boy…" The Penguin smirked. "You see, I'm a collector. I like to get things that no one else has. And if you say, bring me something that can't be purchased anywhere else…I might be willing to give some info on that fear obsessed freak."

"I sense some hostilities." Red X noted.

"He's driven more than one of my client's insane with that gas of his…" Penguin glared. "And no one has to know that I sold him out…"

"So you want something that can't be bought?" Red X sounded amused. "I might have something then."

"…What?" Penguin raised an eyebrow.

Red X reached behind him. The guards tensed for a moment, but Penguin quickly waved the down. Red X pulled out a curved purple horn.

"The hell is that?" Penguin laughed. "A unicorn horn? Haghaghaghag!"

"No, you remember the Nocturne Incident?"

"Who doesn't?"

"Well, I bet you don't know this. When Phantom beat the sleep ghost, he broke off one of the ghost's horns. This is that horn." Red X smirked under his mask.

Penguin's eyes widened. He stared at the horn. "Prove it."

"You." Red X looked at the woman stroking the Penguin's balding head. "It that necklace made of diamonds?"

"Y-yeah…"

"Hand them over." Red X extended his hand.

The woman was reluctant. Penguin glared at her. "You heard the man, slut!"

Red X had to fight not to flinch at the offensive word. He took the necklace and dragged the purple horn across it. A deep gash appeared on the jewel. "Believe me now?"

Penguin looked at the horn greedily. "How did you get it?"

"I told you, my employer is willing to pay top dollar for the info." Red X explained.

"And this employer is…"

"Looking for revenge." Red X finished the sentence. Of course, it wasn't the Scarecrow that Danny Fenton wanted revenge on, but the Penguin didn't need to know that.

Penguin smiled. His yellow teeth were on display for all to see. "Okay, then. Let's do business."

* * *

><p>"I've been in the sewers before, but this…" Red X gestured all around him. "Is disgusting. The people of Gotham care nothing for the environment, huh?"<p>

"Grr…." The scaled man ahead of Red X growled. "You sound like the plant lady…"

"I may like the environment, but I'm not that into it." Red X snorted. "But you have to admit, Croc, this is just sad."

"Not disagreeing with you, but you learn to live with it…" The nine foot tall, green scaled man turned to face Red X. His grin showed the razor sharp teeth. "Or you don't, right Mr. Corpse?"

"Hahahahaha!" Red X laughed. "That nose of yours is something I'll give you that."

"Hehehe…" Killer Croc turned. "Did you actually think I would lead you through the sewers if you were human? I'd make you dinner instead."

Red X recognized the threat. In response, he activated his forearm guard's electric shock function. Electricity danced at his fingers. "Be careful, I might burn your tongue."

"Strong words, corpse." Killer Croc noted. "I wonder if you could back them up…"

The Penguin gave Red X all the information he needed. Red X learned where the Scarecrow was hiding and how to get there. Unfortunately, the entire area was surrounded by GIW. They were above and right below the warehouse according to the Penguin. Going in above ground wouldn't work unless you were stealthy.

Red X wasn't anywhere near stealthy. He might as well be the opposite. It didn't matter which persona he took. Red X, Fenton, Phantom…they were all the loud and in charge type of people. He could, however, temporarily be stealthy.

But that wouldn't be enough. Red X would need to get through the sewers quickly and quietly. He couldn't get turned around and get lost. He would need to know the sewers like the back of his hand.

Thus, he went to Killer Croc. The Penguin's instruction made finding the scaled an easy task. With the proper payment, Killer Croc was more than willing to guide the masked man.

"I have to ask…" Killer Croc growled out. "Are you a zombie or a ghost, cause if you were a ghost, you'd just fly right in there instead of coming to my neck of the woods?"

Red X laughed. To fly in, he'd have to take of the suit, and if he did that then the GIW would detect him. "I like to think of myself as a memory."

"Hmm…" Croc gave his a side glance. "Yep, you fit in with Gotham just fine…"

"We haven't seen any GIW…" Red X noted.

"Those morons wearing white clothes in the sewer?" Croc chuckled. "They don't stay down here long. Their suits get 'dirty.' Bunch of wimps."

"…How do you know that?"

Pause. "These sewers I my domain. I know everything that goes on under here."

"Hmm…Fine…" Red X grunted.

"And we're here." Killer Croc pointed to the manhole above them. "Right above there is that warehouse you wanted."

"Good." Red X took out as wad of cash. "As we promised, here's the rest of your payment."

Killer Croc quickly took the money. Slapping the masked man on the back he stated, "Pleasure doing business with you."

Red X felt a small prick on his shoulder. "Watch the claws big guy."

"Hehehehe…right…" With a splash, the scaled man disappeared under the water.

"Alright…" Red X ignored his rising headache and climbed up the latter leading to the opening. "Let's do it…"

Peeking out of the manhole by lifting the lid, Red X looked out. He scanned the area. Good. No one was there.

As quietly as he could, Red X entered the warehouse. Staying low, he tried not make any noise as he move around. He couldn't hear anything, though. Why was it so quiet?

After searching for a minute, Red X found a work station. It was filled with vials and chemicals. That's not what caught Red X's attention. No… What really caught Red X's attention was the body tied to a chair.

"Lord have mercy…" Red X approached the body. It was a ghost for sure considering the green skin and gooey body. The masked man couldn't tell if he was alive or not, considering that he was still solid, then he must still be alive. There was a thin layer of drool rolling down his chin. "Is it bad that I wish you were dead instead of…this? At least death is fair and merciful."

Red X bowed his head in respect. This ghost didn't deserve this.

Turning, Red X looked for clues to Scarecrow's location. It was so dark, though…The darkness seemed to be creeping up on him. Was it grabbing his leg? Red X shook his leg to escape the imaginary hand.

"What's happening…?" Red X swayed back and forth. "AH!" He felt something sharp enter the back of his neck.

"**Fear, Mr. Mercenary. Fear.**" The comatose ghost's voice sounded demonic as he jammed a needle into Red X's neck.

The world around Red X twirled. Everything became distorted and demonic. Colors blurred. "Y-you…"

"**Me…**" The ghost's image blurred and became brown. Straw came out of the image. The face and body were stitched and torn. Maggots and worms crawled out of the demonic…scarecrow.

"**Go go go!**" White demons poured into the room. They had the face of jackals and horns similar to Nocturne. Their forms were completely white, except their glowing black eyes and green, horned tail.

The room around Red X changed shape. It was a shape that Red X saw in his nightmares. It was the image of a destroyed Amity Park.

"H-how…" Red X trembled and fell to his hands and knees as he felt his skin began to dissolve. It was a fear that he had since he got his powers, which was that his form would become unstable and dissolve.

"**This is K!**" One of the demons screamed into a skull. "**We caught something, but it's not Phantom!**"

"**It has to be ghost or the fear toxin wouldn't work! It's designed for ghosts only! That's why the Penguin's drink and Croc's slime didn't influence them when they came in contact with it!**"

Scarecrow ignored the demons and knelt by Red X "**Didn't you find it odd? That everything seemed to be going right? That Two Face distracted Batman? That Penguin so readily agreed to do business? That Croc didn't try to maul you? So naïve…or perhaps it was the doses of fear toxin that made your mind cloudy. I guess we'll never know.**"

"I-it can't be…" Red X groaned. "Why…would they w-work for the GIW?"

"**Same reason I did…**" Scarecrow laughed. "**Money, power, immunity from the law…We almost had Joker too, if he didn't hate governments so much…**"

"Hehehe…" Red X chuckled despite his terror as two of the white demons grabbed his arms and pulled him up.

"**What's so funny?**" One of the demons snapped.

"Now I don't feel so bad for ripping them off." Red X pulled out a purple horn and one of the demons in the shoulder. When that demon let go, Red X punched the other demon in the jaw to dislocate it.

Red X quickly dived out of the way of incoming bullets. He tried to go for his guns, but his shaky hands wouldn't let him properly grasp them. His suit was sending all the right messages to his body, but his body wouldn't listen. Fear caused him to become defenseless.

His body felt like it was dissolving. Amity Par was in ruins all around him. Demons were scrambling to kill him. It was a miracle he could move at all.

"Gah!" Red X grunted in pain as two blasts of energy hit him in the chest. He instantly crumbled to the ground. His body couldn't stand the pain and the fear. Nocturne's horn slipped from his grasp and slid onto the floor.

"_**Report: target neutralized**_**.**" A computerized voice made Red X's blood run cold. If he was frightened before, he was utterly terrified now. He could barely keep up with the Necromancer with his powers. Take away his powers, the fighting abilities his suit gave him, and his ability to stand up…and he was screwed.

Looking through trembling eyes, Red X froze at the sight of the Necromancer. It covered in green blood and ice...Klemper's blood and ice. Red X felt physically ill as the Necromancer picked of Nocturne's broken horn and crushed in a burst of green anti-ghost blasts.

"**Good work, Necromancer.**" One of the demons praised the machine. "**Take his mask off!**"

Red X could do nothing as he felt arms grab him and pull him up. He grunted in pain as they struck him, despite the fact that he couldn't fight back. The masked man wanted to struggle. He wanted to stop them from removing his mask, but he couldn't move.

"**Aha…**" Pause. "**Who the hell is this?**"

If Red X could think coherent thoughts, he would revel in this small victory. His belt was, in fact, a disguise belt. He now appeared to be a young man who appeared normal in every way possible. His brown hair and eyes were common. He had no distinguishable features on his face. In all, he appeared to be the definition of average.

"**That would explain why we didn't pick up any ecto-scans. He isn't a ghost at all!**" One of the demons holding him exclaimed.

"**Impossible!**" Scarecrow ran towards them. "**My ghost fear toxin is flawless! It can only influence ghosts just like I designed it!**"

"**Did you test it on meta-humans?**" Another demon asked.

"**No…**" Scarecrow trailed off in thought. "**But Killer Croc could be considered a meta-human…No, his condition comes from a disease, not a meta-gene. Yes… Hmm… I have not tested this on meta-humans. Tell me, young man, what do you see?**"

Scarecrow's form twisted again. Red X almost fainted at the blue skin, fiery white hair, red eyes, and forked tongue. Dark Dan was peering down at him.

"**He seems to have lost to ability to speak and move…interesting.**" Dark Dan stroked his chin. "**I will need to get test subjects…**"

"**What do we do with him?**"

"**He's not the one we're looking for, so he's disposable.**" Dark Dan chuckled.

Red X felt himself be thrown to the ground. His back hit the concrete painfully. The demons began to beat Red X. They apparently wanted to have some fun before he killed him.

Danny felt helpless as the GIW demons slowly began to beat him to death. In truth, Danny never expected that this would work, but really? He didn't even get one hit in before he lost. How pathetic was that?

The only thing he try to do now was keep his promise to Vlad. All he needed to do was get enough strength to get to his gun. If he died while in ghost form, he'd dissolve. All that would be left would a suit that is useless to anyone but him.

Yet, he couldn't even do that. He was completely frozen in fear. Danny would die, the GIW would search and dissect him, and his secrets would be out. The halfa wouldn't be the one to pay the price, however, his family would. His fear induced panic attack caused images to appear before him.

Valerie was being arrested for association with him.

Wulf was being experimented on with the fear toxin.

Cujo dissolved as he failed to protect his masters.

Vlad was filled with bullet holes because he tried to protect everyone.

Dani was crying as the GIW began to dissect her.

"_Fear is just information. Information that there is danger and that something needs to be done…"_

"_Everyone is affected by fear. Some people just decided to use if positively."_

"_Remember, fear isn't evil. It's information. What you do with that information is up to you, though."_

Yes…the fear was telling him what would happen if Danny failed. If Danny failed, then his family would die. If he failed, Amity Park would be destroyed. If he failed…everything he cared about would be gone.

…This isn't how he chooses to use this information…He didn't want to just give up…Danny would protect them until his last breath…

* * *

><p>(Play: Man Without Fear by Drowning Pool featuring Rob Zombie)<p>

The demon above him once again tried to kick Red X in the head. This time Red X blocked the kick.

"**Trying to fight back?**" Acid like spit came out of the demon's mouth. "**You're pathetic.**"

The GIW demon tried to pull his leg up, but couldn't. Red X prevented him from moving. "Pathetic am I? Let me show you how pathetic you are, worm!"

In a single motion, Red X twisted the GIW demon's ankle and kicked his knee the other way. With a loud snap, the GIW demon fell to the ground in pain. Red X then quickly grabbed the ankles of the other two GIW demons standing over him. He quickly activated the electricity in his forearm guards and shocked the two agents into unconsciousness.

As quickly as he could, Red X jumped out of the way of incoming bullets. He quickly formed a shield around him. Unfortunately, the shield would only last for thirty seconds. In order to win, he would need to come up with a plan…

"Urg!" Red X grunted as his shield was destroyed by missiles. The Necromancer had activated its far range attack mode and fired several of its anti-ectoplasm missiles. Red X could feel the shield generator in his chest armor short circuit.

That was one tool out of his arsenal…

Using the adrenaline rush he was on, Red X ran at the Necromancer. He would have to at least take that thing out to stand a chance. The masked man didn't know how he would beat it, though. He couldn't use any of his stronger powers while in the activated suit. If only he had managed to decipher the codes of his mom, then he would know its weakness…

That's right. It had to have a weakness, but what was it?

The Necromancer entered its mid-ange attack mode. The bloody panels across its body sent dozens of ecto-blasts at Red X. His suit did its job, however. With the help of his suit and the adrenaline rush he was feeling, Danny moved, ducked, and dodged is ways he didn't know were possible.

Luckily, the GIW demons couldn't dodge like he could. The barrage of ecto-blasts that missed Red X struck down the GIW demons who were preparing to attack too. They wouldn't be a problem for few moments at least.

Closing in on the Necromancer, Red X froze for a fraction of a second. He felt bile run up his throat as he caught the scent of decaying flesh on the Necromancer. The masked man was painfully aware of the green blood on the Necromancer's armor…

That was one weakness at least. The Necromancer wasn't designed to fight with groups of people.

That fraction of a second almost cost Red X. He barely managed to dodge the Necromancer's attempt to decapitate him with its wrist blade. It had apparently shifted to its close combat mode.

Even with his suit helping, Red X could barely manage to dodge each slice of the Necromancer's blades. He would need to go on the offense. The x's on the back of his gloves extended and began to spin like a buzz saw.

Red X tried to use his spinning blades to cut the Necromancer. He managed to get two cuts on the Necromancer's side, but they only left small scratches. Those types of injuries wouldn't hurt the Necromancer. He would have to do that a million more times to injure the Necromancer.

As he continued to dodge, Red X thought of all the possible strategies at his disposal. Running away at this point wouldn't work. His guns wouldn't cause any damage. The blades in his gloves weren't hard enough to pierce the armor. If only they were made of ectoranium…

Like the blades on the Necromancer's wrists…

Maneuvering so the Necromancer would stab at him, Red X was ready to put his plan into action. The Necromancer stabbed at him with its right arm. Red X used the minimal amount of room needed to dodge to the outside of the Necromancer's reach. Grabbing the wrist and pushing the elbow of the Necromancer, Red X guided the blade to a different direction.

Crack! Slink! Zap! The blade cut deeply into the Necromancer's shoulder. Red X almost blanched at the sight of black goo and electricity coming out of its shoulder, but he controlled himself. He couldn't let this illusion get to him right now.

Despite the fact that he was trembling uncontrollably, Red X acted. He grabbed the Necromancer's free arm while the machine was distracted. Then, with exact precision, stabbed it into the Necromancer's other shoulder.

The machine tried to pull its arms free, but Red X stopped it. He thrust his left hand forward and sent the red x tape to trap the Necromancer's arm. It wouldn't be able to use them for the rest of the fight.

In response, the Necromancer tried to use its knee blade to try and stab Red X. The masked man expected this, however. He dodged and twirled around the machine. With as much power as he could, Red X kicked behind the Necromancer's leftover knee. It fell to its knees instantly.

Grabbing the Necromancer into a rear naked choke, Red X pulled the machine up to use as a shield. He did it just in time, too. The GIW demons had recovered. They had sent dozens of ecto-blasts at the masked man, but instead hit the Necromancer.

The Necromancer's armor deflected the blasts, but that wasn't the problem. The Necromancer wasn't designed to work with people. If something attacked it, it would attack back.

"**New tactic: wide spread attack.**" Missile launchers appeared out of the Necromancer's shoulder and chest. The following barrage knocked out half the GIW demons. The rest quickly lowered their weapons to avoid the same fate.

Realizing that this was his chance, Red X activated his spinning x blades. He cut the rocket launchers out of the Necromancer's shoulders. Then, the masked man used his left glove hand to lock the launchers to the back of the Necromancer's neck. As quickly as possible, Red X then used his right palm x to attack an explosive x to the launchers.

Red X's form blurred as he used his teleportation device to move out of the way of the explosion. In a huge explosion of ectoplasm, the Necromancer's head went flying off its body. The GIW demons were momentarily shocked. A normal human had taken down the Necromancer, granted he had their help, but still…

They had little time to reflect, however. The place Red X teleported to was right behind them. He quickly used his twin pistols to knock out two GIW. Now alerted, the GIW demons quickly turned their weapons on the masked man. Before the Red X even drew his pistols, however, he had dropped a couple of smoke pellets. His form was hidden from the GIW demons.

This didn't stop the GIW, though. They opened fire on the location Red X was last seen. He wasn't there, though. He teleported away from the blasts. Unfortunately, his suit only had enough power to teleport about thirty yards, and he could only do it three times every two hours. With his shield broken, he would have to use his last teleportation wisely.

Red X's second teleportation set him amongst the GIW demons. He quickly blasted some of the GIW. Putting his pistols away, Red X got in close and sent several hard kicks to the GIW demon's head. The next few moments were filled with the sounds of GIW being knocked out.

During all this, the Scarecrow had retreated to his work station. Seeing that the GIW were losing, he quickly pulled out a gun. He would kill the masked man when the smoked cleared.

As the smoke cleared, Red X was nowhere to be seen. There were plenty of unconscious GIW, but no Red X… "Where did he-"

"Behind you…" Red X had used his last teleportation to get behind the Scarecrow. The masked man disarmed the Scarecrow and punched the villain in the face.

Pinning the Scarecrow to the wall, Red X fought the urge to beat the man into unconsciousness. The image of Dark Dan was quickly raising the halfa's temper, but he had keep control. He needed answers. "Where is the GIW base?!"

"**H-how? It's im**possible." Dark Dan's image faded back to Scarecrow.

"I just used the fear instead of it conquering me." Red X growled. "It made me stronger."

"It never makes people…stronger…" Scarecrow now seemed to be scared. It was true. At the best, fear gas could be tolerated. Even then, only people with the strongest minds could possibly do that. No one had ever become stronger from it…

Red X had to laugh at that. He was a halfa, different from both ghosts and humans. His every emotion made him that much stronger, even the ones that didn't relate to his obsession. "I'm a special case."

Scarecrow trembled at the grinning skeleton mask.

"Now…where is their base!?"

"I-I was only there once!" Scarecrow screamed. "W-we dec-cided to use the t-tech ghost as b-bait for Phantom. We thought that he would come to investigate!"

Red X growled. That meant that the GIW had the ability to go into the Ghost Zone. "Where is it?!"

* * *

><p>The ghost fear toxin was wearing off. Now while this could be considered a good thing for most people, the halfa was relying on it right now to keep up his adrenaline rush. Red X could feel it. His body was becoming sluggish and tired.<p>

He couldn't breathe… He was suffocating…Slowly, Phantom took off his mask and put it in his belt. Unfortunately, his suit was now low on power. The disguise belt no longer hid his appearance.

Stumbling into an alley, Phantom tried to keep himself going. He had to get there. He was so close. All he had to do was get there…

Suddenly, Phantom collapsed. His legs had gone numb. "D…damn it…"

He tried to crawl, but he only got far enough to hide himself behind a dumpster. Phantom had to get there. Everyone he cared about was counting on him. Yet, his body was exhausted. No amount of will power was going to change that.

"I…I'll just take a little nap…" Phantom mumbled as he leaned against the dumpster. Yes…he'd sleep, then he would go to the base.

The world around him slowly faded to black. Everything was blurry and unfocused. His exhausted mind didn't care that he was out in the open. Anyone could stroll into the alley and find him.

And someone did.

Phantom felt someone drag him up. It wasn't a quick or gentle journey. The person holding him obviously wasn't someone who relied on raw strength.

"Guh…" Phantom groaned as he tried to open his eyes. There was only darkness…No…there was something else. A flash of gold. He could feel something on his face. It felt like…hair, and a lot of it.

"It's okay. I'm not here to hurt you." A girl's voice responded to his grunt.

Phantom's exhausted mind instantly accepted the girl's words. He was far too tired to resist anyway. So, the halfa allowed unconsciousness to take him.

* * *

><p>(Saturday, May 8, 2010)<p>

"…few days since the Anti-Ectoterroist act has been passed. Since then, there have been no sightings of the heroes known as Danny Phantom, Spirit, and Red Huntress. This is…"

Phantom did not enjoy waking up to the voice of G. Gordon Godfrey. But that wasn't what really surprised Phantom. What really caught Phantom's attention was the soft couch on which he seemed to be sleeping. When he passed out, Phantom thought that he was in an alley…

Slowly, Phantom sat up. His body was groaning from fatigue. He could feel his mind swimming. The side effects of ghost fear toxin were rearing their ugly heads.

"You're up…" A voice noted from Phantom's right.

Looking to a nearby chair, Phantom took in the appearance of the person speaking. She was sitting cross legged in the chair. Her simple white blouse and jeans showed of her slim figure. The girl's skin has a slight tint to it. Her face was unblemished and beautiful, but what really drew attention was her incredibly long blond hair tied up into a pony tail.

"I am." Phantom nodded. "But the question is where exactly did I wake up?"

"My apartment." The blond girl state. She had yet to move. She merely stayed there and watched him.

"Hmm…" Phantom looked around. It did seem like an average apartment. There were simple furniture across the room and several pictures hanging on the wall. "Okay, then how did I get here? Last thing I remember is passing out in an alley."

"I carried…well dragged you here." The girl noted. "You're heavier than you look."

"It's probably the suit…" Phantom noted as he gestured to his Red X suit. "There's a lot of equipment in it…" He checked to make sure he had his guns. He did… that meant that the girl was either naïve or trusted him.

"I was wondering about that…" The girl noted. "From what I saw on the news, Danny Phantom wears black and white, not black and red…"

"Usually not…" Phantom shrugged. "You have at the disadvantage here. You know my name, and I don't know yours. You better tell me, or I might have to call you Rapunzel."

The girl didn't seem to like that nickname. "Name's Artemis."

"Goddess of the hunt, huh?" Phantom chuckled weakly. "Well you caught me. Was there a reason for it?"

"You mean why I helped you?" Artemis clarified. "Felt like it."

"Ah…" Phantom slowly stood up. He could feel his body groan as recovered from the fatigue. "You felt like helping a wanted criminal, at least according to that guy." Phantom pointed to the television.

"I prefer to form my own opinions." Artemis stood too and walked over to him. "And from what I've seen, you are far from being the bad guy…now sit down, you obviously are still tired."

Phantom grunted as he complied. Something told him that arguing wouldn't work. "Well…you obviously aren't with the GIW or you would have shot at me. And you aren't a thief…None of my stuff is gone."

"You want to know what I want." Artemis noted as she crossed her arms. "I guess I just wanted to do something good…something other than this."

Phantom looked up at the girl. She seemed conflicted. "Then you're a rare sort of person Artemis. Thank you for helping me. Most would have just left me there, or even went to the police, I owe you one."

Phantom extended his hand to shake her hand. Artemis merely looked at the hand for moment, then she took the hand. "No problem."

"Really?" Phantom raised an eyebrow. "It wasn't a problem with your parents…"

He looked into her eyes. Almost instantly, he was filled with a sense of déjà vu. Had he seen here before? She looked so familiar…No, he hadn't seen here, but she looked like…

Naw…

"My parents…aren't around." Artemis looked away.

Phantom made no sound. He wasn't one to judge, so he didn't comment. All he said was, "Okay."

Feeling somewhat better, Phantom stood. "I don't want to sound ungrateful or anything, but I have to go. There's a job I have to finish."

"Is that why you're here, and in disguise?" Artemis questioned.

Phantom figured she had the right to know. "Yeah, I need to infiltrate the GIW base. This suit hides my ectoplasm signature."

"I was wondering why you were in Gotham. After what happened in Amity Park, everyone thought you'd be long gone." Artemis noted.

"Yeah, it's a complicated…Wait? The GIW actually revealed what happened in Amity Park?" Phantom was surprised.

"Yeah…wait." Artemis activated her Tibo and rewinded the show. "It was on a little bit before you woke up."

"…Riot of Amity Park! Danny Phantom has indoctrinated an entire city behind him! Each and every one of them broke the law when they tried to stop the GIW from doing their jobs! Phantom and Spirit resisted arrest and attacked the GIW agents. Dedicated to their little 'heroes'," Venom rolled off of Godfrey's tongue at that word. "The people of Amity Park intervened.

"Now, the entire city is under lock down. Patrols have been set to make sure these rebels don't attack…"

"What kind of bullshit is this?!" Phantom growled. "This has be illegal."

"Now many people are crying out saying that this is unconstitutional, but I say it's necessary to keep the world safe. Amity Park is the ghost capital of the world, and all the ghosts will come out there! Eventually, the people of Amity Park will come around." Godfrey grinned. "Like Vladimir Masters and his family. They were intelligent and distanced themselves from Amity Park. They quickly allowed the GIW to take action and remove all the illegal ecto-weaponry from their home…"

"Since when?" Phantom questioned. "I read that bill hundreds of times. There was nothing in it about that!"

"It was added after Red Huntress fought the GIW." Artemis noted. "You can imagine the controversy. Breaking the second Amendment and all that…People were especially mad when one of Godfrey's people was arrested. Harriet…something."

Phantom clinched his teeth and growled. Another friend was suffering because of him...

"…it has been a few days since the Anti-Ectoterroist act has been passed. Since then, there have been no sightings of the heroes known as Danny Phantom, Spirit, and Red Huntress. This is a problem! The ghosts have probably retreated to the ghost world to plan a rebellion, and the human? Who knows what she's doing!? Soon, though, the GIW will find her and arrest the 'hero.' Then-"

Boom! Crash! Phantom had enough of that. He took out his pistol and shot the television.

"…You shot my TV." Artemis glared.

"I can't believe this…" Phantom growled. "I should have paid attention…"

"You shot my TV." Artemis once again said.

"I was just so focused on finding the base. Damn it…" Phantom trembled in anger.

"You shot my TV."

"I'll buy you a new one!" Phantom pulled a couple wads of cash and handed them to her. "In fact get an upgrade!"

Artemis gave him a flat look.

"I…I'm sorry." Phantom collapsed onto the couch. He placed his head in his hands. "It's been a bad week. I…" Tears formed in Phantom's eyes. The stress was too much. Everything he loved was falling apart all around him.

Artemis was shocked. She didn't think a hero could cry. "It's okay…What…what happened?"

Phantom wiped his eyes and looked up. He didn't know if he should tell her. "You sure you want to know?"

"…Yes…"

"The GIW killed my best friend." Phantom growled. "So, I'm gonna tear their organization apart, but to do that, I have to get info on them."

It was part-way the truth. He did want his revenge, but he was also going to stop the potential war in the process. It wasn't like he could tell her that, though.

"…do you need help?" Artemis questioned.

"Probably, but I don't know who to turn to. The criminals already…" Phantom realized what she meant. "Are you offering?"

"Yes." Aremis nodded.

"You got anything to hide your face?" Phantom questioned.

"That's your question? Really? Aren't you going to ask if I'm sure or what I can do?" Artemis seemed amused.

"One: you don't like the person to offer help without meaning it. Two: I'm not that stupid. I can tell you've been trained. You've been glancing at my guns every couple of seconds, ready to grab them if necessary." Artemis blushed in embarrassment at that. "Three: I'm not in any position to turn down any help, especially from someone who has proven to be trustworthy."

Artemis stared at him for a moment then smiled. "You are something else."

"I am…" Phantom nodded.

"Alright, lead on, white rabbit." Artemis grinned.

"White rabbit? You mean my hair?" Phantom touched his long white hair.

"Something like that…" Artemis stated. She had found her rabbit hole…

* * *

><p>(A few hours later…)<p>

"Okay this isn't a job we can do without a plan." Red X pointed to the bulletin board. "I managed to get a schematic of the inside of the base."

"How?" Artemis questioned. Her appearance was hidden by a backup disguise belt. She now appeared to have black hair and pail skin. She was also wearing simple black gear for the plan.

"From the Internet. The GIW aren't the smartest people at times. They bought a building by the docks and didn't change anything." Red X chuckled. "I figured out that the south end has the weakest security, and with your help, Catwoman, we'll get in quickly and efficiently."

* * *

><p><em>Memory sequence begin<em>

"_Hello, Miss Kyle…" Red X petted one of the many cats on the couch as the woman walked into her apartment._

_The woman tensed as she saw that masked man on her couch. "How did you get in here!?"_

_Red X twirled a green key in his free hand. "I have my ways…"_

_The masked man stood and turned to the woman. She was very beautiful. Her black leather costume clung to her curvaceous body and come up into a cat ears hood which hid her short brown hair._

"_You…" Catwoman relaxed a little when she saw who it was. "You're the one that's caused that big ruckus yesterday. You sure have Batman stirred up, you know. An explosion in the middle of the Iceberg Lounge courtesy of your horn, Killer Croc going on a rampage because of your fake money, and Scarecrow being beaten to group along with a bunch of government agents…The brooding one is angry, but I thought it was funny."_

"_They were sellouts." Red X noted. "Something I know you would never do."_

"_Very true." Catwoman sat in a nearby chair. Her three cats instantly flocked to her. "But from what I heard, you're not the most trustworthy business partner."_

_Red X threw her a thick wad of cash. Catwoman caught the wad. They were all one hundred dollar bills. "You can check them if you want. They're not fake and I'm paying you upfront."_

_Catwoman inspected the money carefully. After a few minutes, she said. "It's real and… a lot. What exactly do you want done?"_

"_I need help sneaking into highly secured building. I want to hire you as a consultant." Red X explained._

_Catwoman smiled. "You have my attention."_

_Memory sequence end_

* * *

><p>"We'll be causing a huge disturbance." Red X noted. "Batman will quickly take notice."<p>

"That's bad…" Catwoman noted.

"It is, so I've planned a distraction." Red X stated.

"What could more important than a full on assault on a government building?"

"The one person Batman could never ignore…" Red X didn't want to use that guy, but he was the best plan…

* * *

><p><em>Memory sequence begin<em>

"_heheheHaHaHaHAHAHAHAHAH!" The Joker laughed insanely as he felt cold metal of an ecto-gun pressed against the back of his head._

_Various thugs were unconscious all around them. They didn't stand a chance against Red X. The blond haired girl, Harley Quin, tried to attack him too, but Red X had no problems hitting girls. She was knocked as quickly as the others._

"_I don't know how you thing this is funny." Red X noted. "I could easily kill you."_

"_But will you?" Joker smiled._

"_I'm willing to…" Red X growled. "If you try anything funny."_

"_Hahahahah!" Joker seemed delighted. "A joke!? I already like you better than mean old Batsy!"_

"_Shut up!" Red X kicked out Joker's knees. The clown fell painfully to the ground. "I'm not here to joke. I'm here to get you to do what I want."_

"_We all want something, like right now I want to cut that mask of your corpse." Joker said with a smile._

"_I'm already a corpse." Red X pointed his gun at the downed clown. "And I'll make you one too."_

"_Oh, I don't-"_

_Bang!_

"_Gah!" Joker shouted in pain as Red X shot him in the leg. "Ah! You shot me!? The hero doesn't shoot the villain!"_

"_I'm not the hero." Red X laughed darkly. "I'm the man losing his patience. Now listen, I'm going to give you weapons. You are going to go into the middle of town. You are going to draw the attention of the Batman. Any questions?"_

"…_What type of weapons?"_

_Memory sequence end_

* * *

><p>"Now, even if the security is lighter at the south, we're still going to have to distract the GIW. From the east side, you'll be sniping people, Tigress." Red X called the hidden blond what they agreed.<p>

"And this won't kill anything?" Huntress questioned as she held up her ectoplasmic sniping rifle.

"No, it's powered down. It will hurt, but won't kill…I'd avoid head shots though." Red X noted.

"Got it."

"Okay, from the west side, this will be causing problems." Red X held up a spear.

"How will that help?" Catwoman questioned.

"It belonged to a powerful being. It can harness electrical powers." Red X explained. "I'll stab it in the ground on the west side. Electricity will surge through the area for ten minutes, but after that it will explode from overuse….or at least it will in theory. I only ran a few tests…"

"Who owned that spear?" Huntress asked.

"The Controller of Chaos," Red X answered. "Now, when we enter the base, I'll place a huge explosion. That way, there won't be any suspicion, but there will be no immediate danger after that, so the GIW will focus on the other sides, especially the north."

"Why the north?" Catwoman asked.

"They'll be having a lizard problem." Red X showed them an amulet.

* * *

><p>They were almost ready. Red X kidnapped on of the GIW, hid him, and placed the Amulet of Aragon on the unconscious man's body. He would be woken by electric electric shock when they were ready.<p>

Artemis as Huntress would open fire when he gave the signal. Hopefully, she would be able to last long enough to give him and Catwoman enough time to get what they needed. If not, she knew where to retreat.

All he needed now was to place the spear. He would head over to the west section, and the plan would be set into motion.

"Was it wise to give Joker weapons?" Catwoman asked from their hiding place behind some crates.

"Don't worry," Red X smiled under his mask. "In a few moments, the weapons will short circuit and explode, not big enough to kill anyone, though."

"…Should I feel threatened?" Catwoman questioned. "You've turned on almost everyone you've worked with. What's to stop you from betraying me?"

"Those fools planned to betray me from the start, so I acted before they did." Red X explained. "This time, I haven't acted before, so you do have the chance to betray me. Just know this, if you screw me over, I won't come after you…"

"That doesn't seem like much of a threat." Catwoman noted.

"What was that girl's name…Holly?" Red X questioned.

Catwoman tensed.

"Poor girl. Doesn't have much to rely on." Red X sighed. "Be terrible if she lost an arm or something."

"I get it…" Catwoman said through gritted teeth.

"Good, I need this to go right." Red X moved into the direction of the west entrance. "I'll be back."

"Asshole…" Catwoman mumbled, but Red X still heard it.

As he traveled, Red X had to question himself. Why was he acting this way? Threatening people? Interrogating without a second thought? Betraying at a moment's notice?

Had Klemper's death really affected him that badly? Maybe…or…

Red X looked into a window. He could see his reflection. The mask and suit truly were intimidating. Danny could barely recognize himself as he played the role of a mercenary.

What did Jazz call it? Social role? She went on about some prison experiment for some time. Something about how even the most normal of people would act differently if they were placed in a specific situation.

Was he acting this way because of the suit? Was the role of the mercenary Red X so powerful it changed his very morals? It was possible…

Looking away from his reflection, Danny sighed. He didn't particularly like what he was doing. He was being a huge asshole, but it was necessary. This had to be done.

When he got to the west side, the masked man stood on top of a building across from the Red X pulled Pandora's spear out of the portable Fenton Crammer. Then he waited and listened to his Fenton Phones.

"_Hahahahahaha!" _Joker's insane laughter hit the bug he planted on the weapons. "_Let's see if these things work on people just like they do on-Ah!"_

There goes the short-circuit function. The Joker and his thugs probably dropped the guns just in time to avoid the small explosions. Red X wondered if the Joker thought that was funny.

Deciding that now was the time, Red X threw the spear. It landed a few meters away from the west entrance. Electricity surged outwards.

Red X quickly retreated back to Catwoman. He knew that the GIW would respond quickly. Thus, he decided to divide their attention. Pulling out a trigger button, Red X quickly shocked the GIW agent at the north entrance.

"ROAR!" A black dragon appeared at the north entrance.

This was the signal for Artemis. She was probably snipping GIW as soon as she saw the dragon…After she got over her shock at least.

"That is…surprising." Catwoman noted. "I don't think I want that piece of jewelry."

"No, you don't." Red X pulled the bomb. "I'll plant this when we get to the entrance."

"That…" Catwoman mad a face. "Isn't a bomb. It's a broken scythe tied to what looks like a sword made of glass."

Red X chuckled. "You'd be surprised."

* * *

><p>BOOM!<p>

Red X had planted on of his explosive x's on the two weapons. The explosion broke of the ice and fire ectoplasm holding the weapons together. The conflicting energies multiplied the explosion several times over.

"Damn…" Catwoman noted as they moved through the base. "I am surprised."

"Told you…" Red X followed the woman. Most of the GIW agents were busy dealing with the problems at the other entrance. With the explosion, they would have to be careful for any GIW coming their way. Most likely, however, the agents would stay on the upper floors to scan the area just to make sure there wasn't more of those explosions.

By the time they got to the main place of operations, Red X was incredibly grateful that he brought Catwoman. If he went in alone, he would have gotten caught for sure, but Catwoman knew how to keep hidden.

She pulled him into closets to avoid approaching GIW. She led him threw larger vents to avoid patrols. She even had to knock out a few agents by using silent take-downs.

"This is it…" Red X noted as he peaked into the entrance. There were only four agents in there. They appeared to be directing the other agents. "Two each, I got the ones on the left."

"Got it…"

Red X sneaked behind his two agents. He grabbed the two agents into chokes and activated his electric gauntlets. They were shocked unconscious in moments.

"You good?" Red X asked his companion.

"Yep." Catwoman walked over the unconscious bodies of the GIW agents she knocked out.

The room they were in had several computers. Each seemed to be running complicated programs. There seemed to be a large main computer at the front, however.

"They didn't have time to lock any of their programs…" Red X noted happily as he plugged in his Tucker Phone. All the data would be downloaded in a few moments, but until then, he decided to look at the important things.

After a few minutes of reading, Red X felt his blood run cold. This was not what he was hoping to find. No, this was bad. It was very bad… "Son of a…" He growled.

"What?" Catwoman questioned.

"Nothing. I just thought this download would be faster." Red X noted.

Beep! It was done.

"Well, no need to freak out." She rolled her eyes. "It's done."

"Right, let's go." Rex X noted as he unplugged his phone.

* * *

><p>"That was unbelievable!" Artemis smiled as she plopped down on her couch. "I've never had that much fun."<p>

"Careful…it's addictive." Phantom sighed as he pulled of his mask. After exiting the base, he separated from Catwoman whose job was done and retrieved the amulet by teleporting in and out of the area with the dragon. Then, he turned to the meeting place.

"What's wrong? You look sick." Artemis noted.

Phantom looked at her. She had proven to be loyal and trustworthy. Concidering that she risked herself for this, she deserved to know. "I wasn't completely honest to you about my reasons for attacking the base."

"Really…" She didn't seem to like that.

"The truth is that there has been some tension in the Ghost Zone for months now. An old and wise ghost thinks that the humans are planning to invade the Ghost Zone. I managed to stop a preemptive strike, but everyone is still on the edge." Phantom sighed. "I thought things would calm down, but then the Anti-Ectoterrorist Act was passed. My family and I were attacked. One of us were killed, that part was true…"

"So there is still some revenge there…" Artemis still seemed on edge but for different reasons.

"I would be lying if I said no." Phantom noted. "But I mostly came here to try and prevent war. If I could prove that the GIW couldn't attack or didn't plan to attack the Ghost Zone, then everything would be fine. But…"

"But what?" Artemis questioned.

"There is a problem. The thing that killed my friend…there are hundreds more. Not only that, they developed technology to temporarily tear holes into the Ghost Zone." Phantom closed his eyes in frustration. "They aren't planning to attack the Ghost Zone. They're planning eradicate all ghosts…"

"What are you going to do?" Artemis questioned.

"What I have to in order to prevent this war…" Phantom once again looked at his new friend. "Thank you for everything you did to help me. Words can't explain how much it means to me. I couldn't have done this without you."

"Don't mention it." Artemis smiled at the praise.

Phantom handed her a piece of paper. "This is my number. If you ever need anything call. I'd be happy to help, but…I'd call that favor in soon. I don't know if I'll be able to fulfill it by the end of all this…"

"Thanks…" Artemis took the paper.

"And Artemis…"

"Yes?"

"On May twenty-fifth…get out of Gotham. In fact, get everyone you care about and get out of this city. Don't tell them why, but make sure they are not here or in any major city on the twenty-fifth."

"Why?"

"Because on that day…all hell is gonna break loose."

* * *

><p><strong>Yep, I had to add Artemis. I mean, Danny was in Gotham City. I couldn't resist. Danny's quick trust of her was simple. She wasn't trying to kill him. That was good enough for a guy with no options. Her friendship with Phantom will be important later. And if you noticed, I added a bit of origin thoughts from the comics. I thought it was fitting.<strong>

**As Red X, Danny does act differently. He doesn't maintain his ideals of honor or morals. He's placed himself in a situation where he acts like a mercenary, and with everything that's happened, he's quick to the change. I think its called social role. I'm no psychology major, but I always found it interesting. If you have time, I'd look up Zimbardo's Stanford prison experiment. It's really interesting how people could act like that after only a few days. Anyway, after Danny has had time to let what he's acted like sink in, he'll be reluctant to put the suit back on, but there will be times that it will be necessary.**

**Thank you all for reading and please remember to...**

**REVIEW ****REVIEW ****REVIEW**


	19. Preparation

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure."

Confucius

* * *

><p>Chapter 19: "Preparation"<p>

(Monday-May 10, 2010)

Danny didn't normally greet people by holding a gun to their head. This fact was especially true for his friends. Yet, here he was. An ecto-pistol was out and ready to shoot the girl in front of him in the head.

"Danny?" Jennifer's eyes widened at her friends actions.

"It was you…" Danny growled as he gripped his pistol so hard his knuckles turned white. He was wearing the baggy hoody and jeans to hide his Red X suit. In addition, his disguise belt was active to hide his appearance to make his ghost half look human. "You are…Jinx."

As soon as he could, Danny left Gotham City. After reading the GIW's reports, he knew their plans. He knew what they were after. The piece needed to accomplish their goal was in Amity Park.

Thus, Phantom traveled as he quickly as he could without drawing the attention of the GIW. He had arrived in Amity Part mere minutes ago. The halfa was shocked to see the GIW completely occupying the area. They were everywhere. Most would think that they were preparing for a ghost attack, but Danny knew better. They were waiting for him to come.

Unfortunately, Danny was not a stealthy person. He would need help, either as a ghost or as Red X. His ectoplasmic signature would give him away, though. To hide his ectoplasmic energy, he had to wear his Red X suit. His suit hindered his ghost powers for the most part, thus he couldn't use invisibility or intangibility without great effort, focus, and energy. (Note to self: find better way to hide ectoplasmic signature as a ghost)

The GIW were looking for Red X, however. Thus, he hid his suit and had his mask off.

Despite his best efforts, Danny was almost caught several times. The GIW were in high alert. He couldn't move a block without GIW flying by on hover scooters. In fact, a few seconds ago he was spotted.

Danny ran and hid immediately. The GIW were relentless, though. They almost found him hiding in an alley…

Until a pink explosion drew their attention away. They left Danny's location without a second thought.

Danny had seen that energy only once. It was different from Vlad's energy. It had a more…unlucky feel to it. That meant it belonged to her…

"_That was close, huh?_" Jenifer smiled as she approached Danny from out of the shadow. A minor pink glow was around her that quickly faded. It didn't take a brain surgeon to connect the dots.

Jenifer was Jinx. Danny instantly pulled out one of his guns.

"Danny?" Jennifer's eyes widened at her friends actions.

"It was you…" Danny growled as he gripped his pistol so hard his knuckles turned white. "You are…Jinx."

Jenifer said nothing.

"You don't think I wouldn't research who destroyed Fenton Works?" Danny growled. "I learned from Phantom who you are! I researched the energy that caused Fenton Works to crumble. I knew that it was Jinx that destroyed my family's memory. But I…I didn't know that…"

"I was Jinx…" Jenifer noted sadly.

"How the hell did you expect me to react?" Danny questioned. "You destroyed my family's home!"

"You slap me, then we passionately kiss?" Jinx joked.

"Not funny." Danny glared. "Why shouldn't I shoot you here and now?"

"Because I just saved you." Jenifer stated.

Danny frowned at that, but he didn't lower his gun. "Why?"

"Because you're my friend." Jenifer smiled sadly at Danny.

"My friend?!" Danny was outraged. "You used me! You're an agent of the Shadows. I was just a means to an end."

"I'm not part of the Shadows." Jenifer stated. "I just…worked with them. I was fine with it at first, but after I got to know you…I didn't want to anymore. You were my first real friend. No one made me feel like Jenifer instead of Jinx. That's why I saved you."

"Yet you still did it." Danny sighed sadly as he lowered his gun. "What do you want? I have a lot to deal with right now, and it is all your fault."

"My fault?" Jenifer questioned.

"The GIW only have the Necromancers because of you. It was part of the data you stole. Not to mention the other weapons." Danny tucked the gun away and slid down the wall tiredly. "It all comes back to you…"

"I'm sorry." Jenifer sat down with her now ex-friend. "It was for my father."

"And he is?" Danny snapped.

"…I can't tell you." Jenifer gave him a sad look.

"Of course not…" Danny mumbled angrily. "You never answered my other question. What do you want?"

"I want to help you." Jenifer gripped his arm. "As your friend… to apologize."

"Don't act like you stayed here for me…" Danny grumbled as he pulled his arm away. "I know what the GIW are after. They want the lab under the mansion. Only a select few knew about that lab...and one person who followed my sister down there."

Jenifer looked insulted. "I never told anyone about that."

"What?" Danny questioned harshly.

"I was already assigned to destroy Fenton Works. I knew how much that would hurt you, so I didn't tell anyone about the lab under your home. I knew I would be ordered to destroy it, so I told my father that you didn't have a second lab." Jenifer explained.

Danny looked her in the eye. He could tell. She wasn't lying.

"Then how do the GIW know-Urg!" Danny's head groaned in pain. Flashes of images surged in his mind. The images were of a beautiful woman. She was asking him something…

"What's wrong?" Jenifer questioned worriedly.

"Just…some forgotten memories." Danny grunted. "Ones that I will make sense of later."

"Oh?" Jenifer seemed confused.

Danny stood. "I need to get to the mansion, but I can't do it alone. I…" He hated saying this. "…need your help."

"The GIW are working with the Shadows who my father is allied with…" Jenifer noted. "If I help you, I hurt my father."

"Yes." Danny nodded. He wouldn't sugar coat it.

Jenifer looked down for a moment. She looked conflicted until she raised her head. "For you…okay."

* * *

><p>Danny had to make a stop before they went to the mansion. It was a private meeting too, so he asked Jen…Jinx…whoever to stay outside the apartment. She was surprisingly cool about it, considering who they were visiting.<p>

"Danny?" Valerie questioned as the halfa knocked on the window to her living room.

"Fenton?" Damon Gray said as he looked up from the newspaper on the table.

The teenage girl quickly opened the window and let the boy into the apartment.

"Thanks, Val." Danny closed the window and pulled down the shade. He didn't want Jen…Jinx to see or hear this.

"What are you doing here?" Damon stood up. "We heard you went to Wisconsin."

"No, Vlad and Dani did." Danny corrected as he stood in the center of the room. "I had things to take care of."

"Why are you here?!" Valerie growled. "If the GIW find you…"

"I know." Danny nodded. "But I'm going away for a long time. I had to say bye."

"Maybe I should leave…" Damon wanted to give his daughter some privacy. He would be in hearing distance if they got too loud, anyway.

"No, you should stay. I need your help with this." Danny noted sadly.

"Help with what?" Valerie did not like the look in Danny's eyes.

"I spent the last couple of days in Gotham City trying to get info on the GIW." Danny began.

"Oh no…" Valerie sighed as she placed her hands on her face. "Don't tell me that was you that caused all that trouble…."

Danny frowned. "Er…no. I hired Red X to do that."

"Yeah, whatever." Valerie obviously didn't buy it. She knew about the combat suit.

"Anyway, I managed to get info on the GIW. They…" Danny sighed. "They're planning to attack the Ghost Zone and kill all the ghosts."

The two humans in the room were silent.

"I can't let that happen." Danny noted. "I came by to tell you that."

"What can you do?" Damon questioned. "It's not like it's your problem anyway."

"It is…" Danny deactivated his disguise belt. They were now staring at Phantom.

"Dear Lord…" Damon collapsed on the couch in shock. "That explains so much…"

"Danny! Why did you do that!?" Valerie shocked.

"Because I need him on my side." Danny turned the belt back on. "This is my problem, whether I want it to be or not."

"That still doesn't explain what you want." Valerie noted.

"I want you to give me your ghost hunting equipment." Danny explained.

"What?! No!" Valerie glared.

"This isn't up for discussion." Danny noted sadly. "Eventually, the GIW will look for you. They don't care right now because they want my equipment, but soon they will look for you as an excuse to justify what they've been doing to this town. If they find you, they'll arrest you."

"Like hell!" Valerie shouted.

"Mr. Gray…" Danny looked at Valerie's father. "Please back me up."

"Val…" Damon slowly stood. "He's right. I…I let you do this hero thing because I thought that Phantom could watch your back. But this? It's too much. Give him your equipment."

"No!" Valerie glared.

"Unlike me, this isn't your problem, Val." Danny reasoned. "You are human. You can live a normal life. If I take away the evidence, you'll be safe."

"What if I don't want to, huh? What if I want to help you stop this conflict?" Valerie questioned.

"Okay then…" Danny gave her a flat look. "Give up going to school. Give up a normal life. Give up being Valerie Gray. Give up seeing your dad. Give up being on the human side, and you can come."

Valerie was silent.

"I thought so…" Danny looked away painfully.

"Valerie…" Damon embraced his daughter. "I'm so proud of what you've done, but he's right. There's nothing more you can do to stay on the fence."

"It's one side or the other." Danny noted. "Come with me and become the enemy of the world, or stay here and live life to the fullest."

It was at this point, Valerie made one of the biggest choices of her life. This choice would influence her for years to come. If she chose differently, then things would have been different. Things wouldn't have turned out the way they were.

But she already made her choice….

"Here…" Valerie handed Danny her bag. "Take it…"

"Thanks…" Danny smiled at his friend. "I'll take care of it. Goodbye, Val."

"Yeah, goodbye…and Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"Make sure to hit those bastards hard for me, okay? For Klemper's sake…"

"Hell yeah…"

* * *

><p>"Home sweet home…" Danny mumbled as he looked upon the GIW occupied Masters Mansion.<p>

"They've been there for days." Jenifer mentioned. "Getting in won't be as easy as getting around town."

"You call that easy?" Danny questioned as he observed the GIW from their spot in the bushes.

Getting around time with so many GIW agents all over the place wasn't what Danny would call easy or fun. They moved slowly and silently. Multiple times, they had to hide in rather disgusting places. Danny was now officially sick of dumpsters and sewers.

Luckily, Jinx's powers came in handy with distraction. Her power of bad luck, or actually raising the odds of the worst case scenario occurring, proved to be very useful. Causing equipment to fail or for things to break quickly drew in the GIW agent's attention.

"Well…it would have been easier without you." Jennifer joked.

Danny didn't laugh. "I need to get in there."

"Well…that much was obvious." Jenifer sighed. "That won't be any easy task, though. There's no chance of sneaking in. All the entrances are guarded heavily. The area is really open, too. Nowhere to sneak up. And after what happened with the Red X guy, they're on high alert."

"Hmm…" Danny nodded at that. There was no possible way to sneak in, and he didn't have the resources to separate them to four sides like in Gotham. He would have to use a direct assault. Get them all to one side and get them far enough away. Then…

Yeah, that could work.

"I'm going to have to fight my way in." Danny spoke to Jennifer.

"What? You?" Jennifer caught her mistake. "Not that you're not tough, but there are dozens of those guys. They've got weapons and you've got…er…well."

"I have my combat suit." Danny pulled off his hoody.

"…No…" Jenifer was shocked as Danny removed the rest of his disguise. "You?"

"Me." Danny nodded. "I built this so that I can fight."

"But you took down 25 GIW agents, one of those Necromancers, and the Scarecrow…" Jinx noted. "That's not human."

"That many huh…" Danny frowned as he checked he equipment. "How the hell did that get out anyway? Neither the GIW or the Batman would reveal that info."

"Vickie Vale seemed really interested in you. The guy that took Gotham's underbelly by storm." Jenifer noted. "She did a little snooping."

"For once a random reporter give me good publicity." Danny noted. "Well, they're about to get another story."

"This won't work." Jenifer noted. "They'll be prepared for you. They've probably studied you're fighting patterns."

"Patterns? I just go with the flow." Danny noted as he pulled out his mask. "Goodbye, Jinx…thanks for the help…"

"Wait." Jennifer grabbed Danny. She tried to kiss him, but she wasn't allowed the chance.

"No." Danny pushed her away. "I thanked you for helping me, but that's all. You used me and destroyed my family's home."

"I'm sorry." Tears appeared in Jenifer's eyes.

"You might be, but I'm not ready to forgive you." Danny's face remained neutral, but there was still anger in his eyes. "If you hadn't been such a good friend…pretend or not, I probably would have hurt you. Kissing you? Hell no. Letting you go is the most I can do."

"…I understand." Jenifer nodded slowly as she wiped her eyes. "I would be the same way if the roles were reversed."

"Yeah…" Danny turned and pulled on his mask. "Goodbye, Jinx."

"See ya…"

* * *

><p>After finishing the preparations, Red X jumped into action. Knowing that stealth wouldn't be an option, Red X charged head on into the chaos. He quickly slammed his right palm on the many vehicles he passed by and placed explosives on the spots that he touched.<p>

The GIW agents quickly turned to see who it was. "Red X! Gun him down!"

A barrage of bullets was sent at Red X. The masked man used his teleportation to dodge the bullets and place himself amidst the various agents. All of the men were rather close to each other in their distance, so they wouldn't be able to shoot without accidentally hitting another agent.

They tried, though…

"Dammit! You shot me!"

"What are you aiming at?!"

"Hold your fire!"

"I'm calling for backup!"

Red X smirked under his mask. That was exactly what he wanted. Get all of them, or at least most of them, up front.

Not giving the agents the chance to separate. Red X sent a barrage of punches and kicks at the agents. His movements were fluid and flawless. Each of his hits hit the agents right on target. All the punches and kicks sent at Red X were effectively dodged. He was a machine.

Boom! The explosive x's went off. The vehicles were destroyed and burning. Red X used this distraction.

His suit's reaction kicking in, Red X grabbed one the nearest GIW. Wrapping one arm around the GIW agent's neck and pulled out one of his pistols. He did it just in time, too. The backup from behind and inside the mansion had arrived.

Dragging the agent back, Red X shot at the GIW. His blast injured some of the agents, but didn't knock them out. No, he needed to stay awake for a little bit more…

"He's using Agent LMN as a shield!"

"What do we do?"

"Do procedure! We can't let the masked freak to get away again!"

The GIW opened fire at the masked man and human shield. Agent LMN took several shots before Red X dragged them behind one of the destroyed vehicles. The agent looked severely injured, but there wasn't much Red X could do about it. "Try to stay alive, asshole."

Staying behind the destroyed vehicle, Red X continued to shoot at the GIW. This time, however, Red X knocked the GIW in the front lines unconscious. They were at a good enough distance from the mansion. The backup, though…

He would need to push them forward. Unfortunately, he didn't have the resources to fix his shield generator earlier, so that wasn't an option. Electricity and his blade gloves wouldn't help either in this situation.

There was one more thing he didn't use yet, though. Busting it out, however would be an all or nothing event. Of course…this was already an all or nothing event.

Pulling out the modified Fenton Gatling Gun from the Fenton Portable Crammer, Red X placed it on his left arm. He had designed this version to work with his Red X suit. It didn't need a separate power source.

"I'm going to need a distraction…" Red X mumbled to himself. They knew he could teleport. If they caught him before he could do his third jump, then he would be shot down.

"Ah!"

"What's going on?!"

"The ground collapsed! Did Red X do this?!"

Ground collapsed… That was rather unlucky for them. "Thanks, Jinx. I needed that…"

Using his second teleport, Red X teleported to near the back of the GIW. Because they were preoccupied regaining their balance, they didn't get to react until after Red X dropped the smoke pellets. They were instantly covered in waves of smoke.

Red X then used his third and final teleportation. He now stood at the back of the GIW agents. Raising his gatling gun, Red X opened fire out to the waves of men.

The masked halfa continued this barrage. From the groans and shouts of pain, he knew that he was forcing the GIW back, while at the same time, knocking them unconscious. That was good.

With the fog almost clear, Red X stopped the gatling gun. Quickly pulling out a trigger switch from his belt, Red X raised his hands up high. The gatling gun was pointing up, so it couldn't hurt anyone.

Then Red X said something that shocked everyone. "I surrender! Don't shoot!"

"What?" In their confusion, the GIW didn't shoot at the masked man.

"I was mistaken in my venture!" Red X announced. "I will surrender my weapons and come in for interrogation!"

Whispers went through the crowd. They seemed pleased, if not shocked, by this development. For a single instance, they let down their guards before they approached and arrested the man. This was all the time Red X needed.

Beep!

Pressing the trigger, Red X remotely activated the mansion's human/ghost shield. The giant green shield appeared right in front of Red X and created a dome around the mansion. He was safe.

All of the GIW tried to shoot Red X, but it was futile. All of their blasts bounced off the shield. Nothing was getting through there.

All according to plan…

Saluting the agents, Red X turned and went into the mansion. He had business to finish.

* * *

><p>There were a few GIW agents in the mansion. They had stayed behind to keep guard, but they were vastly outclassed. The agents were all unconscious in minutes.<p>

After that was done, Red X paused because of the solitude of the mansion. Vlad had wasted little time escaping Amity Park with Dani. They only packed the essentials and personal items and left. Danny imagined that Dani hadn't taken the news well…

After tying up the unconscious GIW agents, Red X searched the mansion for any hiding agents. There were no more agents. During the search, however, Red X felt a terrible loneliness.

When was the last time he had been so alone? He always had help fighting ghosts. At home, there was always someone around and something to do. Hell, even in Gotham, he had help. Now he was completely alone. No one to help and nowhere to call a safe place. Things had changed so quickly…

Sighing, the masked man went into the lab. He couldn't stand the lonely feeling in the upper floors anymore.

"…Dammit." Red X stepped into the lab. He had hoped that they hadn't managed to get to it yet.

There was a huge hole in the wall leading to the vault. It must have taken a while to get into the vault, but they managed everything was gone. Luckily, Danny deleted all the files and data from his computers before leaving, so they wouldn't know about his secret.

Danny was never worried about that, though. He was worried about what the GIW were really after…

The Fenton Exoskeleton.

"Raw!" Danny pulled off his mask and punched the wall. He was too late.

His original plan was to get the Exoskeleton and run, but that wasn't an option. The Exoskeleton was his plan. Danny didn't think that they would have been able to get in the vault so quickly. It's as if they knew where it was and how to cut into it…

"Ahg!" Danny clutched his head in pain. There it was again. That memory…what was it?

He couldn't remember. It was something important, though…

Boom! It seemed that the GIW were trying to get past the barrier. Good luck with that…

Shaking it off, Danny looked around the lab. A lot of equipment was in here. With his original plan, Danny would have used both the Combat Suit and the Exoskeleton to take down the GIW, thus freeing Amity Park and giving him some time to get them to safety.

That wasn't an option anymore. It would be impossible to take down the GIW without the Exoskeleton. He would have to abandon Amity Park for now…

"Dammit…" Danny sighed sadly. The city may not be perfect. The people may have at one time been cruel to his family, but that was in the past. They had stood up for him, and it had cost them. He couldn't just leave them, but he had no choice. "None of this equipment would help me fight too…"

Boom! The GIW continued their assault.

Danny saw the shield generator shake next to the portal. The human/ghost shield was still experimental. The generator could only take so much punishment. Eventually they would give in…

All the exits were blocked for Danny. There was no way out with fighting and getting captured…

Danny looked at the portal…except for one…

Activating the portal, Danny starred at the swirling entrance. That was a sure fire way out. If he did that, though, the GIW would eventually destroy the shield and get the rest of the equipment. The Portable Fenton Crammer was already full as it was too…

Danny once again glanced around the lab. It was filled with both GIW and Fenton equipment. He couldn't let them get anything else from him…

There was only one option.

Danny quickly changed out of the Red X outfit. It wouldn't help him in the Ghost Zone. "Good to be back in my normal clothes…"

After putting the suit away, Phantom then began to mess with the equipment. After a few minutes, he was finished. It was done.

He only had a few minutes.

Glancing longingly around the lab, Phantom felt his heart throb. Only the lab would be hurt. The rest of the mansion would be fine, but so much work was done down here. So many memories were made in this lab.

Sighing, Phantom turned to the portal. Nothing could be done. It was his last option.

Painfully, Phantom stepped into the portal and abandoned his home.

* * *

><p>The portal was destroyed before the explosion made its way through to the Ghost Zone. A portal could not run without its power source, and with that cut off, it couldn't function. It simply faded.<p>

Phantom watched as his only way home quickly disappeared. No way back now. The only way left was forward.

Thinking of Amity Park, Phantom vowed. "I'll be back. I promise. Just hold in there."

Turning away from the destroyed portal, Phantom began to fly to the only place he could think to go.

It was time to keep his promise.

* * *

><p>She was sitting under one of the blooming sakura trees when he arrived. Her back was to him, so he couldn't see her eyes. She knew he was here, though.<p>

Phantom spoke first. "You were right."

"I was." There was no arrogance in her voice. No joy was there either. In fact, she seemed saddened by his words.

"They are planning to kill every ghost in existence." Phantom noted.

"I assumed they would."

"They have the means to kill every last one of us." Phantom sadly stated.

"Such resources would be necessary for an insane plan."

"When…" Phantom sighed. "The last time I was here, I said that if there was proof that they were going to attack, then I would be the first one to say strike first."

"And?"

"…Let's strike first."

Vision stood and turned. "You have found your conviction in this matter?"

"I have." Danny nodded.

"Then we have a lot of work to do." Vision began to walk towards her home.

"Yes we do…" Phantom followed after the genius ghost.

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-May 11, 2010)<p>

"Great One!" Frostbite ran into the meeting hall. "I received your message! What's the emergency?"

"You're late, Frostbite." Scribe noted as he sipped a cup of tea.

"You only got here two minutes ago." Pandora noted.

"I was wrapped up in a good book." Scribe explained.

"Sounds boring!" Colossus noted.

"So says the cultural expert in the room." Fright Knight laughed sardonically.

"Is…the Great One not here?" Frostbite looked through the council. A few members were missing.

"DP isn't here!" Torch yelled. "Torch came here for some emergency meeting! Where is the emergency?!"

"That is what we are all wondering." The Spectre noted.

"The same emergency as before…" Phantom noted sadly as he entered the room.

"Great One!" Frostbite rushed to his friend. "I wish to apologize and offer my sympathies for Klemper. He was a good man."

"Why?" Scribe noted. "He ascended. That's something to celebrate, not something to be mourned."

"It's more than can be said about that fool Vortex." Pandora growled. "Getting mixed up with Klarion. That fool brought about his own end."

"Very true, Pandora." Colossus noted. "He who lives with no honor will die with no honor. Klemper, however, died for a friend. A truly honorable death…"

Phantom fought to control his anger. "Yes! I know all that happened I was there, and that's part of the reason we are here. Those events…it's pushed the tension between the human world and the Ghost Zone to the breaking point."

"Duh!" Torch snorted. "Why do you think Torch came here so quickly? Torch's minions are having panic attacks! Torch needs to assure them that they are safe."

"Yes, young half-ghost. Be the goodie goodie that you are and tell us how you have proved that Lady's Vision's worries were for nothing." Undergrowth sneered.

"I wish I could tell you that I did." Phantom shocked the audience.

"The humans are more prepared than we ever could have dreamed." Vision noted as she entered the room. Dozens of her birds flocked from the ceiling and landed around the room in a giant circle.

The birds all projected pictures above the powerful ghosts. They showed all the data Red X had collected.

"These Guys in White have been preparing for this longer than I ever saw this coming." Vision admitted.

"First, they've been training for months. They all have become less influenced by mental attacks like Haunting Auras, have increased their endurance, and have become more skilled." Phantom noted. "I never noticed it because of my own jumps in power and skill. They will be a pain to deal with for weaker ghosts."

"This says they have stockpiled weapons?" Spectre questioned.

"Yeah." Phantom sighed. "The Destruction of Fenton Works happened after the League of Shadows captured me. They sent a meta-human named Jinx to steal everything and destroy the building. The Shadows then sent all the equipment and data to the GIW who used it to stockpile weapons."

"Weapons?" Colossus laughed. "Is that all?! Weapons don't make the man!"

"These weapons do. Next are the Necromancers." Vision pointed to the picture of the machine. "It was designed to massacre ghosts. Its armor is made of ectoranium, and its attacks are deadly."

"I could barely handle one, but that's because it was programmed to know all of my powers and usual tactics." Phantom stated. "An S-rank ghost would be able to handle it, but anyone weaker…"

"Its weakness is that it can't fight in group and all of its attacks can hurt itself if used properly?" Scribe read from the text.

"Yes." Vision noted. "Get two or more together and they might just fight themselves. It was never designed to be compatible to fight with anyone. It can only fight properly alone."

"How many are there?" Pandora questioned.

"198." Phantom answered. "They built 200 and I destroyed two of them."

"Not sounding good…" Frostbite sighed.

"We're not at the worst parts yet…" Phantom sadly mentioned. "They've built…portable ghost portals."

"How!?" Torch stood in shock. "Torch remembers that the humans were having a hard time building one regular portal!"

"They copied the powers of the one known as Wulf." Undergrowth stared at the image of metal claws as he read the text.

"Yeah…" Phantom groaned. "They've managed to use the idea of clawing between realities. I don't know how, though. Fenton Works never designed something like that, yet the Shadows gave the design to the GIW. It doesn't make sense. The only person even close to making a working portal was the Brain. If he made the claws, why would he give them away like that?"

There had to be some connection here, but Phantom didn't know what. Did the Brain work for the Shadows? Doubtful. He was too high profile to be an underling. Did they partner for something?

"Why do I get the feeling that there's more?" Fright Knight asked.

"Because there is." The images shifted. A beautiful woman appeared. Next to her image was a picture of the Fenton Exoskeleton.

"Hey pretty lady!" Torch called out.

"Isn't that the machine that bested Pariah Dark?" Fright Knight recognized the suit.

"It is…" Phantom sighed. "When I was captured, there was time that I couldn't remember at all. I didn't think much of it until today. As you know, I used the Fenton Exoskeleton to defeat the Ghost King."

"Indeed, it multiplies your strength by 100." A new voice walked into the room. It was Plasmius.

"Vlad?" Phantom was shocked. "How… Why are you here?"

"I was invited. I am a member of the new council. I do apologize for my lateness, though." Plasmius shrugged as he sat down. "Please continue."

Phantom flashed him a look that said that this wasn't over, but the halfa continued. "Well…it did have bugs, but Vlad and I fixed that. I now works perfectly."

"A weapon for justice." The Spectre seemed pleased by that.

"Not anymore." Vision noted.

"Yes…" Phantom looked ashamed. "Recent events and Vision's help allowed me to remember the lost time from when I was captured. During this time, Queen Bee was trying to get me work for her by using her power of enthralling men, but my ghost half made that difficult. I won't work, but I would talk. She got me to tell her where the suit is and how to get to it."

"So people know about it. What of it?" Undergrowth sneered.

"No, the GIW have it." Vision explained. "They used the information and Anti-Ectoterrorist to get into the Masters Mansion and take it. They now have a weapon that can make someone as powerful as Colossus, Spectre, or the Ghost King."

Silence. They were met with silence.

"Torch needs to evacuate his minions!" Torch jumped to his feet again.

"Yes! My people need to leave now!" Frostbite shouted.

"Nyx will be in danger!" Pandora cried. "I must keep her safe!"

"HEY!" Colossus's voice boomed across the room. Everyone room paused and turned to the giant ghost. "Now is not the time to panic! If we freak out, the Ghost Zone will go to chaos!"

"He's right." Vision noted. "To keep the Ghost Zone safe, we must stand strong."

"We are talking about fighting the same people, right?" Undergrowth snapped. "This is no longer fighting meat bags. Now, this is fighting machines that can easily kill us."

"That doesn't matter!" Phantom exclaimed. "The GIW won't just let us go! They will take over the Ghost Zone and the only place where we can go is the human world. How long do you think you'll last there with the GIW hunting for you?"

He was once again met with silence.

"I thought so…"

"Then what do we do?" The Ghost Writer questioned. Despite everything, he seemed oddly calm.

"We have a plan, but we are going to unveil it tomorrow." Vision stated. "Right now, we need to gather all the ghosts. Spread the word, tomorrow we will meet at the center of the Ghost Zone!"

* * *

><p>"What are doing here, Vlad?" Phantom questioned as he and his mentor walked through the halls of Vision's home.<p>

"I came here to assist you." Plasmius stated. "I made a mistake by just letting you go alone. It may have been necessary, but… I'm sorry."

"I had to do it alone, Vlad." Phantom comforted his mentor. "If any ghost came with me, then they would have hunt us down in minutes."

"I know." Plasmius sighed. "But I should have done something besides leave. It was wrong of me."

"I told you to do it, I'm not mad." Phantom gave a fake smile that did nothing to hide his fatique or angry eyes, not angry at Vlad, though. He was mad at almost everything else, though. "I bet Dani's mad, though."

"You don't know the half of it-"

"YYYAAAHHH!" Spirit drop kicked her brother in a sneak attack.

"Ow!" Phantom yelped as he crumbled to the floor.

"How dare you leave me behind!?" Spirit began to beat up on the older halfa.

"Ow! Dani! Ah! Stop it!" Phantom desperately tried to block the blows.

"No!" Spirit shouted. "I will destroy you, fool! Going off on your own?! How stupid are you!? Klemper wouldn't want you to risk your life like that!"

Reaching up, Phantom grabbed Spirit and pulled her into a hug. "I know…I know…I'm sorry."

Spirit trembled in his embrace. "You better be, idiot…"

"But…" Phantom let go of his sister and stood up. "You shouldn't be here. This will be dangerous."

"It will be." Spirit nodded. "But it will be easier if we all stand together."

"We're with you." Plasmius place a hand on Phantom's shoulder.

"Thanks but-"

"FRIEND!" Wulf lunged and hugged his friend. The wolf ghost licked the halfa's face. "(It is good to see you safe!)"

"Wulf…" Phantom mumbled.

"You are an idiot!" Ember stormed up and slapped Phantom after Wulf let him go. "You disappear just like that!? That was not the time to be alone. Everyone was hurting."

"Ember…" Phantom smiled a little.

"Don't you get it, Danny?" Spirit hugged her brother. "No matter what you say or do, you won't get rid of us. You're stuck with us, whether you like it or not."

Phantom sighed. "This isn't something to be taken lightly. You could die…"

"We know." Ember frowned. "But it involves all of us nevertheless."

"(Never abandon friends…)" Wulf noted.

"Yeah…" Phantom chuckled

"So what's the plan?" Plasmius questioned.

"Okay, this is what it is. We have to…"

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-May 12, 2010)<p>

"We have to attack first!" Phantom's voice boomed through the center of the Ghost Zone as he spoke into the microphone. It was an unremarkable area, but it was wide and free of any ghost's domains or homes.

In fact, there was enough room for every ghost in the Ghost Zone to be there.

Phantom stood on a giant stage. All around him were the rest of the S-rank ghosts. He had to admit, Vision's servants knew how to work quickly. This stage wasn't there a few hours ago.

"The GIW are armed and ready to attack us!" Phantom gestured above him where Vision's birds were once again projecting data. "They have the necessary equipment, power, and authority to annihilate us all if they are left alone. Make no mistake, in a little under two weeks, they will attack. There is nothing that we can do about it anymore!

"Thus we are left with only one option left! We have to stop them before they can unleash the Necromancers into the Ghost Zone! If we invade the GIW bases first and destroy all the equipment before they can attack us, we can win! We will have victory before they even know what hits them!" Phantom yelled.

The sea of ghosts all around him began to whisper. They obviously had doubts. Phantom didn't blame them, though.

"Why should we do anything?!" A voice rang from the crowd. "If those things are so tough, why don't we just run and hide?"

"Where?!" Phantom shouted. "The Ghost Zone will be overrun. The only place to go will be the human world. How long will you last there!?"

"Why the hell should you even believe you?!" Another voice questioned. "You aren't one of us! You can hide among the humans! Why would a human want to help us attack humans!?"

Murmurs of agreement went through the crowd.

"I am a ghost as well as a human!" Phantom exclaimed. "This is my problem just as much as it is yours. If this happens, I'll never be able to go ghost again!"

"This could merely be your plan for revenge!" Yet another voice rang from the crowd. "We all know that Klemper ghost was your friend! Don't use us to do your dirty work!"

"This isn't like that!" Phantom tried to say, but the crowd was too loud. His message couldn't get to them.

Anger built up in Phantom. He was trying to help! Yes, he could very well just hide himself and his family, they would survive in hiding if they were careful. "ENOUGH!" His voice and Haunting Aura swept through the area.

Everyone stopped. "I could have abandoned you! I could have hidden easily! If I was careful, they never would have found me! Yet here I am! I came to make sure that you people don't die! Why?! Because I don't want any more lost obsessions! If the GIW succeed, no obsession will ever be completed again! Do you want that?!"

Silence was the answer.

"I thought so!" Phantom gestured to the Council of the Elite. "The S-rank ghosts have already agreed to fight! Even if you stay and cower, we will fight. But know this! Even one ghost can make the difference in this! Your future is in your own hands know! What do you say!?"

Silence.

"WELL?!" Phantom roared angrily.

"I, for one, refuse to be the prey!" Skulker pushed his way to the front of the crowd. "I am the hunter! And these humans won't change that!"

"My people and I will stand by Phantom!" A giant dragon formed amongst the crowd. "He has already given us freedom! Now, we will fight with him to keep that freedom!"

"Beware!" God have mercy…what was he going to say? "The Box Ghost shall lend his infinite power for this battle! I shall not let my new love die so easily!"

"Indeed, I, Technus master of all technology, shall destroy these Dudes in Grey for what they've done!"

"Hell yeah!"

"Those humans can't stop us!"

"Stand up to the human bullies!"

"Win!"

"Hahahaha! That's the spirit!" Colossus lunged into the crowd. "Fight with honor!"

"Torch's minions will stand tall!" Torch was carried off by his minions.

"I need to talk to my daughter…" Pandora floated off.

Phantom felt a large hand on his shoulder. Frostbite smiled down at the teenager. "Well said, Great One."

"No one could have done better." Vision approached from the other side. "They knew you. They respected you, even you're enemies. All of them have seen what you can do, what you will do to protect."

"To protect…" Phantom watched as the rest of the S-rank ghosts flew off.

Yes…he was a protector.

* * *

><p>(Thursday-May 13, 2010)<p>

"Using the designs from the GIW, we're having everyone that could possibly work with tech make claws like the GIW." Vision noted as she pointed to the plans above her. Once again, her birds were helping.

Vision's home was now being used as a base of command. From there, everything will be controlled.

"We'll need them to get the jump on the GIW…" Phantom noted.

"Yes, unfortunately, the claws will only work once." Plasmius stated. "We will only have one shot."

"Yes, luckily the Infimap will make sure that we get the areas correct." Frostbite held up the map.

"The sneak attack will help." Phantom nodded to himself. "A good portion of the Necromancers will be destroyed before they can be activated. But after that…"

"We will have to train the ghosts when the preparations are finished." Vision agreed.

"Yeah, but…" Phantom sighed. "We're going to need everyone in this battle. Even the ghosts who are locked up…"

* * *

><p>(Friday-May 14, 2010)<p>

"I said no, punk!" Walker shouted as Phantom walked through the jail. "It's against the rules!"

"You think I give a damn!?" Phantom growled at the warden ghost. "But we will need everyone to survive. Even the criminals."

"Aren't you supposed to be the hero?" Walker grabbed Phantom by his coat. "The heroes don't ask help from people breaking the rules!"

"I've always been a rule breaker…" Phantom gave Walker a cold glare. "I'm not a hero anyway. A hero wouldn't be instigating a war. Now let go of me, before I put you in a body cast."

Walker growled, but complied. "You can't make me let the criminals go. My guards and I can stop you."

"How bout if I go get Vision and Colossus?" Phantom's fists glowed green. "What would happen then? Do you think that you'd survive?"

Walker flinched and looked away.

"I thought so." Phantom turned. "I'm going to go speak to those two now. You did put them in the interrogation room."

"Yes, because I thought we were going to interrogate them, not beg for help." Walker trembled in rage. "You are breaking so many rules…"

"Shut up!" Phantom walked to the interrogation room. "I have bigger problems to deal with than you. Send your guards to Sector 4. They'll be instructed about what they will be doing during battle."

Phantom ignored the warden ghost's curses and entered into the interrogation room. Convincing these two to help would be difficult.

"From the dungeons to being stuck with a peasant ghost in a pathetic prison. I am a king!" Aragon ranted. "I should be treated as such! Yet the pathetic drivel of the Ghost Zone insist on treating me like a commoner! Such blasphemy!"

"Be silent, you washed up king." Nocturne glared at the fallen prince as rubbed the long scar across his face and the stump of his horn. "I outranked you. I was a god. A king has nothing on me. Keep your mouth shut, or I'll put you in an eternal sleep."

"Fool! I'll-"

"Hey!" Phantom interrupted their argument. "How's it going?"

"You!" Both ghosts stood from their chairs. "You know him?"

"Yep, I kicked both of your asses." Phantom mention as he walked to the table where they were seated.

"Little bug!" Aragon snarled. "Don't be arrogant! You did not provide a fair fight!"

"I was already weakened because I used duplicates." Phantom shrugged. "Besides you kidnapped a…a… friend. Couldn't let you do that…"

"Insolent fool! As if you could ever compete against my full power." Aragon growled.

"Why are you here, ghost boy?" Nocturne questioned suspiciously. "You have, in the same room, two enemies who would like nothing more than to kill you. That doesn't make much sense."

"Because of the GIW" Phantom noted. "They will be attacking soon and we need to stop them. The Ghost Zone needs every ghost to fight."

"And you come alone?" Aragon snapped. "Why?"

"Because that shows you how dangerous this situation is." Phantom explained. "If we fail, you two die, and as much as I want to see Nocturne here beaten to a bloody pulp, that won't be productive."

"That's pretty good incentive, ghost boy, but we can't do anything in here." Nocturne noted with a smile.

"That's why you're being released." Phantom pulled out an amulet and tossed it to Aragon. "Think of it as bail. But know this, you do anything that hinders the plans, then you won't only have to worry about me, but all the S-rank ghosts."

The two ghosts smiled despite the threat. Freedom at last…

* * *

><p>(Sunday-May 16, 2010)<p>

"Hahahahah!" Colossus laughed as he carried piles of brick and concrete. "To think there would be a day that I would build things instead of destroy them!"

"It's a freaking miracle." The Ghost Writer noted as he continued to work on the wall Sector 4.

"I know how you feel, Colossus." Spirit mentioned as Colossus began working on the wall.

The original plan was to keep the GIW out of the Ghost Zone, but no one was deluded. There was a decent chance that the GIW would make it past the portals and enter the Ghost Zone. To stop this, the ghosts were building walls and barricades around each future portal location. That way, they could use the cover to attack the GIW and avoid getting shot at.

"Indeed! The art of destruction is not yet appreciated, but it is getting there." Colossus frowned. "Too bad the art of honor is slowly dying…"

"You know…" Spirit looked up at the giant ghost. "I always wondered what ancient artifact you made. Dad told me about each one, but I don't get why you made a key of all things…"

"Oh that?" Colossus smiled. "I didn't really make it. People got tired of me breaking down doors because I couldn't open them. The Ghost King and his Advisers had the Skeleton Key made for me."

"So you didn't make it?" Spirit questioned.

"Nope. I destroy things not make them…until today." Colossus mentioned as he examined the wall.

"So you don't mind that Danny's got it?" Spirit questioned.

"He does?" Colossus grinned. "Good for him! I left Chomp to guard it when I went to sleep. I was worried that he didn't get enough exercise, but if Phantom fought him, then he would have been fine. Isn't that right, Chomp!?"

A giant red-furred ghost looked up. "Roar!"

"Dammit, Colossus!" Scribe shouted. "You're pet just destroyed a part of the wall!"

"I taught him everything he knows!" Colossus laughed.

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-May 18, 2010)<p>

Phantom looked around at the other leaders of the different Sectors. "Does everyone have the proper number of ghosts in their sector to fight?"

"Everyone one has been divided." Vision the leader of Sector 3 nodded. "My sector will be properly instructed in their roles, even Walker's guards."

"Torch's minions and Torch's recruits will be ready to go in Sector 5!" Torch grinned.

"Yes, every sector has been provided correctly." Fright Knight sighed. "But why do Sectors 2 and 7 have so few soldiers."

"Colossus and I require little help." Spectre noted.

"Just make sure not to go overboard Spectre…" Pandora warned.

"Um…" Dora shifted uncomfortably. "Why am I leading a Sector?"

"Because there aren't enough S-rank ghosts to lead an assault on every one of the GIW's main base. Especially with the Ghost Writer working here in the Ghost Zone." Skulker explained. "That's why our sectors have the most soldiers."

"Fear not, child." Pandora noted. "You shall do fine."

"How are the…prisoners doing?" Everyone knew whom Plasmisus was talking about.

"Aragon will be under control, or I will smite the dragon myself…" Fright Knight held his sword menacingly.

Dora flinched.

"And Nocturne won't be a problem." Undergrowth smirked. "Plant's resting patterns and tendencies are different than the meat bags. He won't stand a chance."

"Good." Vision nodded. "Any other issues to report?"

"The walls and traps are complete." Frostbite stated. "Training should begin tomorrow. The ghosts will need to be instructed on how to fight the Necromancers."

"Agreed." Vision nodded. "Anything else?...No?...Then you are all dismissed."

"Dora…" Phantom spoke to Dora as everyone was leaving. "Are you alright?"

"…No…" Dora shook her head. "I don't know if I can do this. I know the only reason that I was picked for this was because Wulf is in your section…"

"That's not the reason." Phantom shook his head. "You are strong and a born leader. Very few can compete with that. I believe that you will lead Sector 9 and your people to victory."

"You're words are kind, my friend." Dora smiled. "I shall do my best."

"And…what about your brother." Phantom frowned. "I know it must be troubling you."

"I…do not hate him like most would." Dora gained a pained look. "He is still my brother, and I worry for him. I worry that he will do something foolish. I always hoped that he would redeem himself…"

"I…don't think I could be so forgiving." Phantom admitted. "I keep a lot of grudges."

"That must be a heavy burden." Dora gave him a look of pity. "Bitterness does not lead to happiness, Danny."

"I know." Phantom nodded. Hating so many things and people did not bring any joy, only pain. "But I can't change how I feel."

"Perhaps…" Dora smiled as she left the room. "Or perhaps you should starting by just letting it go."

"Yeah…let it go." Phantom rolled his eyes. "Says the lady that was complaining about missing a ball centuries ago!"

"Not the same thing!" Dora called back.

"Of course it's not…" Phantom muttered as he walked out of the meeting hall, but before he could, he was stopped by someone.

"Whelp." Skulker greeted the halfa with a grin.

"Skulker. Something you want?" Phantom frowned. He had to fight back the instinct to punch one of his oldest enemies.

"I haven't hunted you for a while." Skulker noted. "I suppose that I miss it."

"You miss little old me?" Phantom joked.

"I miss shooting at you." Skulker grinned.

"Oh…" Phantom sighed. "That's typical, but you know the weird part?"

"What is it, whelp?" Skulker questioned.

"I think I miss our fights as well." Phantom admitted. "It may just be the war, but…I just wish things would go back to the way they were before."

"I think everyone does." Skulker nodded.

"When I was speaking a few days ago…you spoke up first. You supported me before any other ghost did." Phantom remembered. "Why?"

"I have hunted you for a long time, whelp." Skulker laughed. "I know that you're not the type to send others to fight for you. If you were asking for help, you meant it."

"Thanks…" Phantom gave him a nod in acknowledgment.

"Don't thank me, whelp." Skulker grinned. "Because one day I'll be the one to defeat you. And when that day comes, you'll join my collection."

Phantom laughed despite himself. "You can try, Skulker. You can try, but I'll always be ready."

"Until then…" Skulker extended his hand.

Phantom took the hand and shook it. "Until then."

* * *

><p>(Friday-May 21, 2010)<p>

"This sucks!" Spirit's shout drew the attention of the various ghosts in the library. "Why do I have to be here during the fighting!?"

"Suck it up!" Nyx yelled back at her rival. "My mom stuck me in here too!"

"I understand you, but why am I here with the rest of the weaklings?!" Spirit shouted.

"Danielle!" Plasmius scolded his daughter. "That's rude!"

"Yeah!" A rather nerdy boy who looked like he came from a black and white yearbook spoke up. "Don't be a bully! Not every ghost can fight well!"

"Arg! I can fight great, you…eh? What's the word?" Youngblood questioned.

"Rack!...Scallywags." The ghost parrot stated. "We went over this already."

Spirit groaned. "Why can't I fight?!"

"Because it has been decided that the weaker and younger ghosts would help the Ghost Writer in the command central." Plasmius explained to the ghosts.

"Why?!" Spirit and Nyx complained.

"Because we do not wish for you to get hurt." Scribe walked over. "Both physically and mentally. This might be too much for you."

"I left the human world to help, though." Spirit argued.

"You will be helping." The Ghost Writer waved his hands. Various screens appeared before them. "You will monitor these screens and tell me who needs the most help."

"I thought you didn't use your powers to intervene." Nyx accused.

"I will make an exception for this." Scribe noted. "This is the fate of the entire Ghost Zone we're talking about. Not interfering is the worst option right now."

"Makes sense…" Poindexter nodded. "It will be a pleasure to work with you, Scribe. I am you're biggest fan!"

"Oh?" The Ghost Writer raised an eyebrow.

"Yes! I loved your stories of the weak barbarian Tobi." Poindexter held up a book. "Can I have your autograph?"

"Well!" Scribe's face lit up in joy. "Of course! Anything for a fellow reader and book enthusiast!"

Spirit ignored them and turned to her father. "Don't you trust me to fight?"

"Both Daniel and I would trust you with our lives, but this isn't about trust." Plasmius sighed. "War is different from fighting. You like the challenge and thrill, but this is about staying alive. And what matters most to us is that you stay alive. Promise me, that during the war you will stay in this room no matter what."

"But-"

"Promise me."

"…Okay." Spirit sighed.

"The same goes to you two." Plasmius looked at Nyx and Youngblood. "Stay here. This is where we need you most."

Both ghost children didn't look happy, but nodded nevertheless.

"Good…"

* * *

><p>(Sunday-May 23, 2010)<p>

"Are you alright child?" Vision approached Spirit as the child was staring at the garden of Vision's domain.

"Huh?" Spirit looked up from her spot of the ground. "Yeah. Just fine."

"You are not a good liar." Vision also took a seat on the ground. "What is on your mind?"

"I…have a bad feeling." Spirit admitted. "That's why I want to fight. I feel that if I don't, something bad will happen."

"Statistically, something bad is bound to happen. You're concerns are grounded." Vision noted. "Yet there seems to be something more. Perhaps it is that Premonition power I have heard about?"

"Did Dad tell you about it?" Spirit grumbled.

"Why, yes, he did." Vision noticed her frown. "Do you have a problem with that?"

"I…I don't know." Spirit frowned. "I'm just tired of things changing."

"Change is certainly a frightening thing." Vision nodded. "But it is also necessary for the world to continue to evolve."

"You're right. I'm not so mad about…er…what are you and Dad exactly?" Spirit questioned.

"Friends." Vision said neutrally.

"Really?" Spirit was surprised.

"For now…" Vision chuckled to herself. "Men are rather unusual creatures. So base, yet at the time so complicated. They want us to think that they are hard and unfeeling, yet at the same time they have deep feelings that not even woman can understand."

"Huh?" Spirit questioned.

"Men are stupid." Vision simplified.

"That's true." Spirit nodded with a smiled.

"Yes…" Vision looked at the young girl. "You never answered my question about your Premonition."

"Well…" Spirit frowned. "Usually, there's a voice telling me that someone is trying to do something that will hurt me in some way. Either physically or mentally. But this? I just…feel it. Like the world will end."

"Or your world will end." Vision suggested.

"Yeah…" Spirit nodded.

"Don't fret, child." Vision placed a comforting hand on the child's shoulder. "All will be well in the end. I know it."

"I sure hope so…"

* * *

><p>(Monday-May 24, 2010)<p>

It was the night before the final invasion. They would attack a few hours before the GIW were ready. That would be when the GIW would be most relaxed. They would think that victory was at their doorstep. The Necromancer's would be out, but powered off. Hopefully, everything would go well and no one would die. The ghosts had been instructed not to kill if unnecessary. But the GIW? They would go for the kill.

Everyone was preparing in different ways.

Some were spending time with family:

Dani held her father as he told her an old story. Vision stood near them watching, and waiting.

Pandora watched her child sleep. The shadow user was dreaming of days of past fun and of the future.

Some were spending time with their friends:

"Hahahahaha!" Colossus pored himself a drink. "Now that was a good fight!"

"You broke off the Sphinx's nose…" Scribe sighed as he sipped his own drink.

"I wonder what the humans would think if they found out that so many of their mysteries actually involved ghosts…" Fright Knight mentioned.

Wulf snorted. "(They would probably have heart attacks.)"

"I can't understand what you are saying!" Colossus laughed.

Some were inspiring their people:

"Tomorrow, Torch's minions will gain fame and glory! Do not worry, Torch's friend! Torch will be there to lead you to victory!"

"Too long have we been stuck in the past! Now, we have witnessed the future! A future worth fighting for! A future with freedom for all!"

"Friend! Long ago, I was alone and without comrades. Today, I have my people and my friends! I will fight for all of you until my last breath, just like you would do for me!"

And some were spending their last night before alone and reflecting on the past. Such people were the Spectre, the Fright Knight, and…

Phantom sat on the edge of his bed. Sleep eluded him. His mind was too busy…too filled with anger and doubts.

Tomorrow he would try one final time to prevent this war. He would go to the UN and beg them to stop this attack. Phantom didn't know if it would work, but he had to try.

If he failed…If the UN refused and the GIW attacked, then the Ghost Zone would be prepared at least. Tomorrow wouldn't be a massacre. The ghosts would have a real fighting chance.

And him? Well…Phantom didn't really know what would happen to him if he failed. In fact, he didn't even want to think about it.

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"It's open." Phantom answered.

"Hey." Ember entered the room wearing a large t-shirt and shorts. She was carrying an IPod. "So Vision really gave you this big room all to yourself?"

Phantom looked around. It may have been rather large, but it was also plain. "Yeah. She's letting my entire family sleep here in her domain."

"How nice of her." Ember noted. "Can't sleep?"

"Nope." Phantom shook his head. "You?"

"Naw." Ember smirked. "I was thinking. If I die tomorrow-"

"You won't." Phantom interrupted.

"If I do," Ember finished as she held up the IPod. "I don't want to have any regrets, so we're having that music lesson."

"Oh really?" Phantom was amused. "Alright. Why not?"

"Good answer." Ember sat next to him. "Now let's start with the greatest band of all time…Kiss."

"Of course you'd say tha-" Phantom was cut off when Ember's lips met his.

The kiss was quick and chaste. Phantom felt the familiar feeling of fire flowing through his veins. Pulling away, Ember tossed the IPod to the side where it laid forgotten.

"Ember, I-" He was once again cut off by Ember's kiss. This time, it was slower and more passionate. Phantom's hands instantly went to her waste as her arms wrapped around his neck.

Unlike the last time they kissed, Danny was in ghost form. Thus, he didn't need to breath at the moment. Their make out session lasted longer than at New Year.

After they finally broke away, Phantom mumbled. "Ember…I…We can't…"

"Shh..." Ember placed a finger on his lips.

"But-"

"Shh…" Ember broke away from Phantom and stood up. She pulled off her shirt and took off her shorts. She wore nothing else underneath.

"Uh…urg…em…" Phantom stared. His mind turned off as the blood flowed elsewhere.

"As I said, I don't want to have any regrets." Ember smirked at Phantom, but he wasn't looking at her face.

"Um…" Phantom looked up. "I…don't want any regrets either. But what if…"

"No more talking…" Ember straddled him and began to take off his clothes. "Only doing."

Giving in, Phantom kissed her and flipped their positions. He continued to kiss her as they both pulled of his clothes. "Agreed."

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-May, 25, 2010)<p>

Phantom stood in what was called Sector 0. He waiting for the proper time to begin the plan. But until then…

Ember pulled Phantom into one last kiss. "See you later. Make sure to kick some ass."

"Yeah…" Phantom smiled at Ember as he gave her a gentle squeeze. "You too…"

As Ember left, Phantom felt eyes on his back. Turning, Phantom barked. "What are you looking at?"

Technus immediately looked away. Wulf, however, grinned. The wolf ghost could probably smell the musky sent from them.

"Hey, Babypop!" Ember's voice caused Phantom to turn once again. She opened her mouth, paused, then said. "Don't die, or I'll kick your ass!"

"Yeah…" Phantom smiled. "You too…"

"Interesting…" Fright Knight's voice caught Phantom's attention.

Looking over to the approaching knight ghost, Phantom frowned. "Why are you here?"

"I need to talk to you." Fright Knight looked over at the other two ghosts. "Alone."

"Fine." Phantom turned to Technus and Wulf. "I'll be back in a minute."

As the floated away, Fright Knight chuckled. "You and the siren, eh?"

"What of it?" Phantom glared.

"Nothing." Fright Knight looked almost nostalgic. "It reminds me of my younger days. Sex before battle was a tradition. Lovers are extremely passionate with the threat of death in the air."

Phantom flushed. Last night had been passionate. Granted, he was rather inexperienced and…sloppy, but passionate? Hell yeah.

"Is this what you wanted to talk about?" Phantom wanted to change the subject.

"No, it was just an amusing thought from an old ghost." Fright Knight chuckled. "I wanted to talk to you about what you and Lady Vision have been hiding."

"Hiding?" Phantom acted confused.

"Yes." Fright Knight pointed to Sector 0. "Why does this sector have no barricades?"

"I don't know? Bad planning." Phantom shrugged.

"Vision has no bad plans." Fright Knight argued. "Why do you only have two other ghosts in this sector?"

"Well, Technus can control technology. We'll have an advantage over the Necromancers." Phantom answered.

"Why wasn't Sector 0 ever discussed during planning?" Fright Knight questioned. "The only thing that we all know is that you will attack first. Then, you will give the signal. Does something seem wrong with this scenario?"

"Maybe, maybe not…" Phantom shrugged.

"Fine then…" Fright Knight crossed his arms. "Tell me…" He leaned in and whispered…

"Do you plan on surviving this little endeavor of yours?"

Phantom was silent.

"I thought so…" Fright Knight seemed conflicted. He gave off the feelings of pride and disappointment. That confused Phantom.

"I need to try and end this war before it begins. All this planning…it was a safety measure." Phantom explained.

"A pretty big safety measure." Fright Knight noted.

"Yeah, my plan…it probably won't work." Phantom noted. "Wulf will get me into the UN building. And Technus…his part will be complicated."

"I see…" Fright Knight closed his eyes. "I think I understand."

"What?" Phantom questioned.

"You plan to be a martyr." Fright Knight answered.

"I…no…I plan to appeal to their better nature." Phantom tried to correct

"Is there a difference?"

* * *

><p>(A few hours later…)<p>

Boom! Crash! Crumble!

Phantom felt debris fall all around him. If he had the power to, he would phase through the rubble, but he was too tired.

Grunting, the halfa pushed the destroyed wall off of him. It was a rather difficult task considering his left arm was broken. After finally getting free, Phantom took a moment to regain his bearings.

"Yeah…appeal to their better nature. Great plan, Phantom great plan…" Phantom stated as he wiped the blood pouring down from his cut forehead.

Looking up, Phantom saw his enemy approaching him. Deciding that he needed to use his most powerful attack to win, Phantom took what was usually unnecessary air into his lungs. Then he let it loose…

Only for a hand to clamp over his mouth.

"Too slow, Inviso-Bill…" The giant hand began to crush his head. "Game over."

* * *

><p><strong>A lot of sub-plots were either intertwined or finished this chapter. In fact...a lot happened this chapter in all.<strong>

**Yes, the defining moment is almost here. I'll try to finish the next chapter by the end of the month.**

**Thank you all for reading and please remember to...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	20. War

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"War...war never changes." Fallout series

* * *

><p>Chapter 20: "War"<p>

(Tuesday-May 25, 2010)

Phantom didn't blame the representatives in the UN for freaking out when he appeared in the middle of their meeting. If he was being honest, he too would be surprised, scared, and angered if he was in a similar position. Yes, anyone would be surprised by a rip in dimensional space opening and allowing what could be considered a wanted criminal to appear in the front of the room.

Yet, while Phantom did understand…he didn't appreciate the screaming and the throwing of objects at his head.

Really? Did they think that would hurt him? He was a freaking ghost for crying out loud.

Realizing that the situation was delicate enough as it was, Phantom decided to be civil despite his growing annoyance at people throwing stuff pointlessly at his head. "Excuse me?"

The UN representatives continued to panic. Many of them were heading to the doors as guards were coming into the room.

"Excuse me!?" Phantom tried again.

No one listened. The representatives were almost out the door. All of the guards were pointing their weapons at him.

"Hey!" Phantom shouted. "I'm just trying to talk here! Stop panicking for one minute and listen!"

The representatives stopped and turned. He had their attention.

"I come here today as a representative of the Ghost Zone." Phantom spoke to the crowd. "I come begging you to stop your plans against the ghosts. We, as a whole, don't want conflict with the human world. Many of us just want to live our afterlife in peace. Please, don't judge us all based on a small minority of ghosts that have attempted to take over both our worlds."

Whispers went through the crowd.

"Please, forgive us for any trouble we may have caused you!" Phantom asked for forgiveness. "I know that you're frightened by us, and I don't blame you, but what you're doing is wrong. We ghosts have rights too!"

"What rights do a dead person have?" One of the representatives called out.

"Many of us were human once!" Phantom answered. "Because we died, does that mean we don't have the same rights as everyone else?"

Whispers went through the crowd. "There are no laws that say people lose rights when they die…"

"Exactly!" Phantom was relieved. "It's the same way with meta-humans! We are all sentient life."

"What do you want us to do? Appeal the Anti-Ectoterrorist act?" The chairman questioned.

"No, all I want is a meeting to discuss terms." Phantom explained. "I'll get the leaders of the Ghost Zone to come and talk about what we can all do to get along."

"…That can be arranged." Everyone in the room seemed to agree with that. "No one thought that the ghosts were willing to talk."

"Really?" Phantom slumped in absolute relief. "I'm so glad."

"We'll discuss a time for the meeting and get back to you. We will make an announcement, and you can come back. Until then, go back to the Ghost Zone." The chairman explained.

Phantom couldn't believe that this was going so smoothly. He'd have to go find Wulf to open up the other portal. "So you'll call off the attack?"

"Attack?" All the representatives questioned what he was talking about.

"What is he talking about?"

"Did something happen?"

"We wouldn't even have a way to do that…"

"Wait…" Phantom frowned. "What do you mean? The Guys in White are planning an attack under your orders."

"Attack?" The chairman seemed appalled. "All we want is to keep the world safe from ghost attacks. We would never instigate such a conflict."

"But I saw the GIW's plans! I've fought the Necromancers! I double checked everything! They were planning to attack today!" Phantom began to stress out.

"That's because we are…"

Boom! Phantom felt an explosion push him through the wall and outside. He was completely unprepared for the sneak attack. The halfa did think that it would grow into a conflict initially, but the situation seemed to be going so well.

"Damn…let my guard down…" Phantom pushed himself to his feet. He could hear the sounds of New York City and the East River behind him.

A Necromancer appeared out of the hole he made. It was carrying a man…No…It was Agent Z. "I knew you would come here Phantom. You are far too predictable."

"Am I?" Phantom reached behind him.

"Yes, after that mercenary you hired retrieved all that data for you, I knew you come here to fulfill your sick obsession with pretending to be a hero." Agent Z explained as the Necromancer put him down. "So I decided to change my plans. I was going to instigate the attack from our main base here in New York, but then I realized that I could capture or kill you then do it."

"But the UN doesn't know about the attack." Phantom grasped the thermos linked to his belt.

"What they don't know won't hurt them." Agent Z smirked. "After this is over, they'll praise me and my men as heroes for killing the hostile ghosts."

"You are no hero…" Phantom pulled out his thermos. "A hero wouldn't be trying to gain glory by killing innocent souls."

"Ha!" The agent snorted. "You really are a jokester. Innocent? Those freaks of nature don't deserve to exist. That's why I started the Guys in White. We will wipe the stains of ghosts clean and give humanity a better future."

"Fool." Phantom pointed his thermos at the agent. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"I'm the fool? That thermos won't stop a Necromancer." Agent Z pointed at Phantom. "Attack!"

The Necromancer lunged at Phantom, but the halfa was ready. He pushed the release button on the Fenton Thermos. Technus flew out just in time to stop the attack.

"Aha!" The Necromancer froze. "Your fancy armor may keep me from touching you, but you are still a machine! I can still control you!"

"What?!" Agent Z was about to react, but the Necromancer blasted him away.

"I take it plan A failed?" Technus questioned.

"Yeah." Phantom sighed. "You know what to do. I'll draw all the attention I can to me."

"It will take time." Technus commented. "Controlling merely one of these things is difficult."

"That's why Wulf went to destroy the GIW's means of getting into the Ghost Zone from here." Phantom nodded. "Everyone will make sure you have time."

"Got it!" Technus flew off with the Necromancer right behind him.

Phantom sighed. Plan B it was then… "Vision…did you get that?"

"_I did."_ Vision's voice called through Phantom's Fenton Phones. "_I'll start the invasion."_

"Yeah…"

* * *

><p>Spirit watched and listened to the screens in front of her. Several other ghosts were in the room with her. Each ghost was assigned to watch a different screen and instruct Scribe on which sector to help.<p>

Suddenly, every screen showed a picture of Vision. Despite the fact that the older ghost's face was hidden by a veil, Spirit still knew that she was troubled. Her eyes showed pain. She obviously didn't want to do this invasion, but there was little choice in the matter.

"_This is Vision._" Vision spoke to the entire ghost army. Scribe was using his powers to transmit the message. "_The time is now. Do not be afraid. Today, we will be victorious…"_

For a single moment, there was pure silence. No ghost said a word. It was the calm before the storm. You could even hear a pin drop.

"_It is time…to attack."_

The silence was broken in an instant. Rips were ripped between the Ghost Zone and the human world. Roars sounded out as ghosts flew through the portals.

The war had begun…

* * *

><p>"That was the ghost we released to lure you to Gotham." Agent Z pulled himself to his feet. Despite the blast, he seemed relatively unharmed. "I see…you plan to use him to shut down our main base. Foolish, it will never work. All the other bases are ready to attack right now."<p>

"I already knew that." Phantom pulled out his Fenton Phones from his ears. "You have eleven other major bases spread out throughout the world. Each one of them has Necromancers ready to go."

* * *

><p>Plasmius tore through the portal to the GIW base in Gotham City. The GIW were instantly alarmed to his presence. To the older halfa, though, they were nothing but nuisances.<p>

After a few blasts of ectoplasm, the agents were blasted back. Equipment was destroyed. Chaos erupted.

The Necromancers were right in front of him ready to go. They would need to take care of them first, then they could aim for the rest of the base. The fight would be noisy, though.

They would eventually attract attention. And attracting attention in Gotham City was never a good idea…

* * *

><p>"So Red X found that out, huh?" Agent Z smirked. His stance was relaxed. He thought he had the upper hand.<p>

"He did." Phantom nodded as he crushed the Fenton Phones into dust. He wouldn't need them anymore. "He also found out that you were planning to eradicate all ghosts."

* * *

><p>The Spectre had dispatched the GIW agents that were in the room with complete eases. They didn't know what they were up against. The floor had latterly curled up and grabbed them.<p>

These…Necromancers were not much of threat either. When they were powered on, they might be able to resist his reality alteration, but they were inactive at the moment.

Of course, their armor of…ectoranium…couldn't be influenced by his powers, but the insides of the machines could be. The inside machinery of the weapons were destroyed and distorted before they could get the chance to move. Unfortunately for them, justice was swift.

Now…for the rest of this base.

* * *

><p>"I knew that." Agent Z snorted. "That's why I set up the ambush. I didn't know when, but I knew you'd show up. You thought that the UN knew about this little attack. Please! They thought that the Ant-Ectoterrorist Act would require us to give the ghosts warnings first. As if! They never realized that we added the plan to kill the ghosts in the bills."<p>

"True, never thought that the UN would actually be in the dark about this." Phantom admitted. "But I suppose that makes the plan even better."

* * *

><p>"Torch thinks these machines suck!" Torch roared as the impaled the Necromancer with his fiery scythe.<p>

Torch and his minions had only been able to destroy a part of the Necromancers before they were activated. Vision had explained that would be the case for most of the ghosts besides Colossus and Spectre, but Torch wanted to prove her wrong.

He and his minions did manage to destroy a large portion of the Necromancers and the base, but the Necromancers were spread out. The ghosts didn't have time to destroy all of them before the weapons were destroyed.

Thus, the true fight began. The Necromancers attacked the minions of Torch. Torch…didn't like that to say the least.

"Torch will destroy all of you!" Fire danced across Torch's skin. His anger made his flames burn that much hotter.

* * *

><p>"Plan?" Agent Z snorted. "What plan?"<p>

"The plan to attack you before you attacked us."

* * *

><p>"Charge!" Skulker yelled as he ushered the army of ghosts out of the portal.<p>

The frozen tundra all around them wouldn't hurt the ghosts. Normal weather couldn't hurt them.

At first, Skulker questioned why Frostbite wasn't leading the fight to this area, but he got his answer from Vision. The tundra area had no civilians. There was less likely chance that anyone from the Justice League would interfere in this area. Of course…with all the noise, a League member was bound to show up eventually.

No, Vision stated that they needed Frostbite elsewhere in order for the plan to work. Skulker wasn't going to argue with the wise ghost. He liked his head where it was.

Looking across the area, Skulker smirked at the destruction of the base. The hunt had begun!

* * *

><p>"What!?" Agent Z snapped angrily.<p>

"Did you really think that I was the only ghost that found out about your plans?" Phantom mocked. "As if! Good going genius, you pissed of the most powerful ghosts of the Ghost Zone. And they decided to work together to destroy the GIW."

* * *

><p>"Pathetic sacks of flesh!" Undergrowth jeered as he towered of the base. His babies and hundreds of other ghosts were attacking the base.<p>

The Necromancers were proving to be a problem for the regular ghosts. The normal ghosts lacked the power to fight such machines. Thus, they fell in battle along with his babies.

Luckily, the Necromancers were destroying each other as they fought. Eventually, they would be destroyed.

The GIW weren't fairing very well, though. They were being blasted away by the Necromancer's as well. The cowards would live, though. They were only fighting at a distance.

Undergrowth didn't care about them, though. His powers of regeneration secured his safety, and the continued lives of his babies. Yes…in this fight he was untouchable.

* * *

><p>"That's impossible!" Agent Z cried. "There's no way so many powerful ghosts would work together!"<p>

"Did you forget that I got several S-rank ghosts to fight with me in several different occasions?" Phantom reminded. "The Nocturne Crisis for example…"

* * *

><p>Fright Knight peered down at a broken body of a Necromancer. They truly were worthy foes. Many of his fear inducing attacks had no influence on the machine. Luckily, his sword was sharp enough to cut through almost anything.<p>

Unfortunately, the ghosts under his command weren't so lucky. Many were injured. Several more were already dead.

"Poor souls." Fright Knight noted sadly. He had killed many ghosts himself, but at least then he showed respect. These machines had no respect. They needed to be destroyed.

He would make sure to avenge the fallen souls.

* * *

><p>"Yes…" Agent Z frowned. "It always comes down to you. It has always been your fault."<p>

"Maybe you're right…" Phantom had those exact thoughts many times. "Even this is. I encouraged the ghosts to attack. All eleven of your other bases are under siege as of this moment. By now, more than half the Necromancers have been destroyed."

* * *

><p>Frostbite's glowing claw tore through the Necromancer's armor with ease. His ice powers were incredibly strong. So strong, in fact, that he could reach the temperature of almost absolute zero.<p>

The Necromancer's had to defense for that. That was shown with their fight with the grieving Great One.

The ice yeti could see why Vision wanted him in this base. They were currently underwater. If another ghost leader was here, there was a large chance that the base would be destroyed. Except for Vision of course...But Frostbite was sure that Vision had another reason for him being here.

But what could it be?

* * *

><p>"Damn it!" Agent Z pulled out his communication device. "Base, this is Z…Base!...Base, do you copy?!"<p>

"They don't…" Phantom walked around Agent Z. "Technus is messing with the Necromancers. They're probably going nuts fighting each other. He might actually be at the point in the plan where he hacks into every secret piece of data you got, and is sending them to every possible computer in the world."

* * *

><p>"Hahahahahhahaha!" Colossus laughed as he grabbed a Necromancer and threw it at the others. This was truly a fun time! These machines were somewhat tough, but they lacked the endurance to take each other's punishment and Colossus's shockwaves.<p>

But what really excited Colossus was the fact that these Necromancers could actually hurt him. Of course, they were all little bug bites in comparison to other injuries he suffered.

What an amazing time period this was. How many fights had actually interested him already? There was Phantom, Superman, Nocturne, then…

Bam! Colossus's massive fist met a Necromancer's head. With an extra shockwave for power, the Necromancer's head flew clean off.

"Hey! I was thinking! Don't interrupt me!" Colossus sent a huge shockwave that shook the entire GIW base. Agents fell down. Necromancers faltered. The building struggled to stay standing.

"What am I saying?!" Colossus ran forward. A shockwave powered kick destroyed another Necromancer as it was sent through the wall and outside the base. "This is no time for thinking! This is the time to fight!"

* * *

><p>"Dear Lord…" Agent Z went pale.<p>

"That's right." Phantom smirked. "Soon, everyone in the world will know what you've done. Did you really think I would do this without help? Without a plan? Without a 100% chance that the Ghost Zone would stay safe after this. The world will soon be siding with the ghosts over the government, and its all thanks to Vision's perfect plan."

* * *

><p>"Roar!" Dora the dragon ghost flew over the base. Her fire had set the entire thing ablaze. GIW agents were pouring out of the building. "I'm fine, Executioner and Archer! Go help the others now!"<p>

Reluctantly, said ghosts flew off to help the others. The Archer fought from afar, while the Executioner ghost used his newly returned axe from Phantom to try and fight the Necromancers. Dora hoped they would remain safe throughout this battle.

The ghosts and Necromancers were already outside the base. The base was in a city, but as soon as people saw the flying dragon, they ran to safety. Civilians wouldn't be hurt in this fight.

That, however, couldn't be said for anyone else.

Several ghosts had already…passed on during the fight. The sheer numbers of the Necromancers and the GIW agents was overwhelming. She had managed to do her share of damage to the enemy, but there was only so much she could do.

Dora did not have the power of an S-rank ghost. She was strong with her amulet, but

Dora had to hold out, though. Her people were counting on her. Failing now wasn't an option. She would protect them.

Yes, she would stay here and fight for her people. She would protect them until her last breath.

* * *

><p>"And what is your part in this stupid plan of yours?!" Agent Z snapped angrily.<p>

"My part…only Vision and I knew what it was." Phantom sighed. "Even Technus and Wulf don't know. They think I'm the distraction for them, but that's not the truth…Which reminds me. I thought for sure you'd have more Necromancer's here to stop me. Where are they?"

* * *

><p>The irony was not lost on Pandora. No, Vision did this on purpose. Her sector had to be here just for that woman to get a secret laugh…<p>

Rome! For pity's sake! She hated Rome! Despite being in Greek legend, Pandora was actually older than the Greek empire. But because of such stories, Pandora was fond of Ancient Greece.

You can imagine her anger when the Roman Empire stepped into the picture.

"She did this on purpose!" Electricity danced around her as Pandora stabbed a Necromancer with her spear. "Just to get me angry!"

There went another Necromancer!

"Raw!"

Yep…never get on Pandora's bad side. Because her righteous anger was what made her truly powerful.

* * *

><p>"I don't need any more Necromancers!" Agent Z growled. "I thought one was enough for my back up to arrive…Oh! And I was right!"<p>

"Back up?" Phantom questioned. "What backup?"

Boom! Phantom crashed into the ground because of the explosion.

"That backup…" Agent Z smiled at the sight of the Fenton Exoskeleton standing of Phantom.

* * *

><p>Vision watched the fights below her. She used her ectoplasm to snipe the agents and Necromancer's. In all, things were going well. There were a few casualties, but those were unavoidable. Only a fool thought you could go to war without losing something.<p>

But…some things were at too high of a cost.

Vision's original plan had an 80% success rate. What that meant was that they would win the battle, but the humans might be angered, even if they were fighting in self-defense. In the end, Vision wasn't sure what would happen after they won.

But Phantom thought that far ahead. His addition to the plan made sure that the Ghost Zone would remain safe, but it would be at a terrible cost. He was putting everything on the line right now.

Well…he had a chance, but not a very good one.

For once, Vision had been reluctant to proceed with an almost full proof plan of success. Perhaps she had grown attached. Perhaps she was reluctant to resist a person with such potential. Perhaps…she was going soft.

"Stay safe, Danny Phantom…" Vision mumbled as she destroyed a Necromancer. "I don't want to be responsible for your death."

* * *

><p>"There's another ghost down in Sector 3!" Poindexter yelled.<p>

"Sector 5 needs help!" Youngblood shouted.

"Sector 1 is struggling!" Nyx exclaimed.

The control hub for the war was in disarray. Shouts we're being sent across the room as different ghosts monitored different battlefields. It seemed that almost everyone besides Colossus and Spectre required help in some form.

"I'm typing as fast as I can!" The Ghost Writer exclaimed. He was struggling to keep up with everything that was happening. It was like trying to nine full novels in the span of a few minutes.

Scribe had already saved many lives, but he couldn't save anyone. His powers were limited to how fact he could type. Dividing his attention made it even more difficult.

"There's trouble with Skulker!" A ghost called Amorpho yelled.

"Ah!" Scribe yelled in frustration. "I couldn't save them! Damn it!"

Spirit looked across the screens. There were eleven of them. Each ghost leader was shown, and every sector was being monitored by several ghosts. But one ghost in particular was missing. "Where's Danny?!"

No one responded.

"Is anyone watching Danny?!" Spirit questioned. "He's in Sector 0!"

"Um…." Nyx looked around. "I don't think anyone was assigned to Sector 0!"

"You mean Danny's alone!?" Spirit angrily yelled. "Why would no one being helping him?!"

"We don't know!?" Youngblood shouted. "Go ask Scribe!"

"Scribe!" Spirit turned to the S-rank ghost

* * *

><p>Phantom pushed himself to his feet. That attack had surprised him. He hadn't even sensed it coming. Had they improved a Necromancer's speed or something?<p>

Nope…no they didn't. Phantom looked as the Fenton Exoskeleton ran past him to Agent Z. The Exoskeleton appeared to be in remote control mode at the moment. 'Just had to put that function in there…'

"Surprised, Inviso-Bill?" Agent Z mocked as he climbed into the Exoskeleton. "I had it moved here especially for this."

Phantom looked at the towering figure. "You changed it…"

Indeed, they did. The Fenton symbol and design was now gone. The Exoskeleton now had an appearance compared to the Necromancer. Only larger…and bulkier…and deadlier.

"You don't think we'd keep that pathetic Fenton design on it?" Agent Z laughed. "Please! Those losers couldn't even perfect a machine in their life. Their son was the one that finished this beauty. Just think, the Fentons were more useful in death than in life."

Phantom felt a deep rage bubbled deep in his core. The ground all around him began to freeze. How dare this man speak about them like that! "You're going down."

"Hehehehe!" The agent laughed. "Do you not realize what you're against right now? You used this once. You know the increase of power it gives."

"I do." Phantom nodded. "Doesn't change the plan. I figured you keep it at your base, but this…might be better than the original plan."

"That's enough talk, Inviso-Bill." Agent Z was tired of this. "I'll kill you, then fix the mess you've caused."

"Good luck with-Ahg!" Phantom yelled in pain when a giant fist met his face. He was sent flying back several meters. Then, he landed on the ground creating a small crater. "Fast…"

"Indeed." Agent Z smirked as he walked over to the downed halfa. "I have trained to push myself to the human limits. This machine multiplies that by 100. I'm not as fast as the Flash, but I'm 100 times as strong as him."

Phantom pushed himself up. His lip was busted open, and his face was bruised. That wasn't warrant enough to use his regeneration. He would need to save his energy.

Lunging forward, Phantom sent a punch at the Exosketon. His green ectoplasm blazed around his hand. It was a punch that could crack open concrete…

…and it bounced off the Necromancer like it was a thrown pebble…

Phantom clutched his hand. The punch had hurt him more than Agent Z. He could feel his hand throb in pain. Unfortunately, there was something else he should have paid attention to.

Boom! Agent Z sent out a large ecto-blast from the palm of his hand.

Once again, Phantom was sent flying away. This time, however, he went much further. He was sent out into the East River. He landed into the water with a huge splash.

"Damn it…" Phantom floated out of the water. He could feel his burns ache in pain as he decided to regeneration in order to make the worse burns less bothersome. "I knew this would be painful, but I thought I'd get more hits in…"

Looking up, Phantom's eyes widened. Agent Z had sent several different missiles at the halfa. Phantom barely had enough time to put up a shield to stop them.

"Ah!" Phantom groaned as he lowered the shield. "In retrospect, I shouldn't have put those new weapons in the suit…Oh, crap!"

The Exoskeleton had activated its jets in the back and was flying at him. Phantom dodged to the side and barely managed to avoid getting hit. Agent Z stopped after flying past Phantom. He then extended his arms. Machine guns came out of the forearms.

"Damn!" Phantom swerved and dodged the barrage of ectoplasmic bullets sent at him. As he flew, the bullets of the Exoskeleton flew into the river and disturbed the water.

"Curse those modifications!" Phantom changed his course and flew to the Exoskeleton. His eyes flashed blue as he formed an ice broad sword in his hands. At least this way, he wouldn't hurt his hands.

Phantom swung the blue glowing sword at the Exoskeleton. This didn't work, though. Agent only raised a hand and caught the sword.

"What?!" Phantom's eyes widened.

Ice formed around the metallic hand, but Agent Z didn't look bothered by it. "So predictable. You really need to stop doing the same attacks."

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" Phantom let go of the sword. He sent a large burst of ectoplasm at the agent. The blast did managed to send the Exoskeleton back a little, but there was no damage.

"Should I show you a real ectoplasmic energy blast?" Agent Z raised one hand of the Exosuit.

"Crap!"

Boom! Phantom was sent flying away. Like before, he went very far away. So far, in fact, he entered the bustling city of New York.

* * *

><p>"Scribe!" Spirit approached the ancient ghost. "Why is no one watching Danny?!"<p>

"What?" The Ghost Writer had a look of stress on his face. "What did you say? I'm a little busy at the moment."

"Danny!" Spirit shouted. "Why is no one watching him?!"

"I don't know." Scribe continued to type away at his keyboard. "I only set up what Vision told me to set up. I had too much work to do as it was to think about it."

'Vision didn't order Danny to be watched?' Spirit thought, then said. "Why?"

"I don't know!" The Ghost Writer exclaimed. "I'm sorry, I don't have time to talk!"

"Sector 11's in trouble!"

"We got some ghosts down in Sector 8!"

"Sector 9!"

"_This is Technus!" _A voice called over a device by Scribe_. "I am running into trouble. Perhaps some support might be necessary."_

"Please, go back to your station!" Scribe instructed. "And Technus, you'll have to give me more than that! I have no idea where the hell you are!"

"Not until you make a window to watch my brother!" Spirit shouted.

"Ah!" Scribe looked at the screen in front of him angrily. "I was too late! Damn it! I can't write people back to life!"

"Scribe!" Spirit got right in front of his face.

"Raw! Fine!" With a wave of his hand, a window appeared. "Go watch! But please stop distracting me! Technus, could you repeat your request!?"

With a quick thank you, Spirit ran to the window. She expected to see Phantom leading an entire army of ghosts. She expected to see metal corpses of Necromancers. She even expected to see her brother standing in the glory of victory.

She never expected to see her brother being beaten to death by the Fenton Exoskeleton.

* * *

><p>(Play: War of Change by Thousand Foot Crunch)<p>

The fight was not going well.

That was Phantom's summary of the fight so far. It was not going well. No sirebob. The fight was going quite badly actually.

Agent Z grabbed the back of Phantom's head. The GIW agent then shoved the halfa's head into the ground as hard as possible. Not done there, Agent Z continued to bash Phantom's head into the concrete. If Phantom could focus enough, he'd faze through the ground or turn into smoke, but the pain was far too distracting for the halfa.

When the agent finally stopped, he picked Phantom up by his head. His face was bruised and beat. He had a large gash running across his forehead. Blood was pouring down his face.

Phantom managed to use his regeneration enough to stop any swelling around his eyes. Despite this, Phantom felt himself slip in and out of unconscious. The damage to his head was great, but he fought to stay awake. He still had a job to do.

"You won't win! You can't kill all the ghosts!" Phantom yelled to the agent.

"Shut up, maggot!" Agent Z then threw Phantom down the street. "Quit saying that like it means something! Your nonsense is getting old."

Phantom rocketed down the street. Gravity eventually took hold of him and caused him to slide on the ground. He slowly came to a stop. As quickly as possible, Phantom got to his feet.

"Are you alright?" A girl asked Phantom as he stood.

"No…" Phantom looked up to see a group of people surrounding him. "What are you doing?! You need to leave!"

"Isn't that Danny Phantom?"

"What's he doing here?"

"The news says that he's a criminal, but he saves people right?"

"He looks hurt!"

Hearing something behind him, Phantom turned. After he had thrown Phantom, Agent Z threw an ecto-grenade after the ghosts. He either didn't know about the people, or he didn't care.

'Is he insane!?' Phantom quickly thought about what to do. Dodging it would be possible, but the people would get hurt. He didn't have time to form a shield, and turning everyone intangible was impossible right now.

…He only had one choice.

He threw himself on top of the grenade.

The next few seconds were a blur to the halfa. He remembered an explosion. Then there was pain. A lot of screaming occurred. People ran. Then…he woke up to the feeling of the Exoskeleton picking him up.

"Do you really think your plan will work?" Agent Z taunted. "My men can hold off enough for the backup to arrive. Your tech ghost won't be able to get through all my men. He will never get the data you want. Hell, you really just saved us time. Without you, we'd have to hunt all the ghosts down. Now, we can kill them all at once. You have my thanks, Inviso-Bill. You actually helped our cause, because the Justice League should be acting right about now."

* * *

><p>Colossus dropped the last Necromancer like a sack of potatoes. The entire base was in ruin. Luckily, Colossus managed to direct the fight outside, or it would have collapsed.<p>

All around him were broken Necromancers and unconscious GIW agents. The fight had been glorious. He was even injured a little! These humans were becoming more and more formidable. Soon, they might even be able to give him a scar.

"This is Colossus!" Colossus called out. He knew Scribe was watching. "I'm done here! Where should I go next?"

A window appeared beside Colossus. In the window was the young ghost named Youngblood. "This is base. Do you copy? Over!"

"Yeah." Colossus nodded. "Where do I go next?"

"You have to say 'over.' Over!" Youngblood instructed.

"Over what?" Colossus questioned.

"You know! Over! Like you're done talking. Over!" Youngblood explained.

"I still don't get it…Under?" Colossus tried and failed.

Youngblood sighed. "You're no fun. Just go to Sector 11. Skulker looks like he needs help. Over!"

"Got it!" Colossus was about to turn and return to the portal, before he felt a wave of energy hit his back. It sent him crashing several meters away from the broken machines and unconscious agents.

Rubbing the slight burn on his back, Colossus saw who attacked him. "Attacking from behind isn't very honorable."

"Attacking the human world and beating up humans isn't honorable either." Captain Atom noted as he floated to the ground.

"You don't understand the circumstances." Colossus noted. Beside the captain, was a man dressed in green. He had an unusual ring on his finger and had a mask that covered his paler face.

"I'm sure." Green Lantern pointed his ring at Colossus. "And I'm sure you'd want to explain those circumstances after you come with us."

"No can do." Colossus noted. "I have to honor the responsibility I have right now. Any other day, I'd love to fight you two, but not today."

"You make it sound like you have a choice." Captain Atom brought energy to his hands. "After what you did here, we can't let you go. You destroyed a UN protected facility in Hong Kong."

"The building is standing, and the men are alive." Colossus chuckled. "Does that not satisfy you?"

"It doesn't." Green Lantern noted.

Colossus sighed. "Fine, then. I would love to enjoy this, but I have to go help the others so…"

Green energy began to flow off of Colossus's skin. Slowly, it bled red. He was now covered in a halo of red and green energy.

"…I won't hold back as much, okay?"

* * *

><p>"I know see why Vision asked me to come here." Frostbite floated in the water as he stared at the Atlantian.<p>

"You exited the building when I arrived." The blond haired man with scale clothing noted. "I have to question why."

"There were a few reasons." Frostbite explained. "But the main reason is that if we fought in there, then a lot my people and fellow warriors would have been hurt."

"You are a good leader if you thought that far ahead." Aquaman looked into the underwater base. "They don't appear to be doing well without you, though."

"Yes, there is always a tradeoff." Frostbite nodded. "But this is how it has to be. If I unleash the beast in there everyone will die."

"Hmm…" Aquaman's eyes narrowed at that. "You could just leave. I was ordered to capture you, but I can tell you care about these people of yours. You are obviously a good person."

"I wish that was possible, my friend." Frostbite gave the Atlantian a sad smiled. "But we did not instigate this war. We will, however, end it."

"I see…" Aquaman nodded in understanding.

"You could leave instead." Frostbite stated.

"I am ruler of these seas and a member of the Justice League. I cannot just leave an underwater UN base to be destroyed." Aquaman explained.

"Then, I apologize…" Frostbite lowered his head sadly. "We will have to fight."

"We will." Aquaman took a defensive stance in the water.

"Yes, indeed…" Frostbite's pupils narrowed into slits. Blue energy roared around him. The water temperature began to drastically drop. "Vision did know what she was doing. Anyone else might have been at a disadvantage in water. Especially against you."

"And you won't be." Aquaman questioned. "I am quite strong underwater."

"Yes, but can you swim through pure ice?" Frostbite raised his ice claw.

"We will see…"

* * *

><p>"Let go of me, Amazon!" Pandora roared as she fought off Wonder Woman's Lasso of Truth. The lasso was coiled around one of her wrists. It took a lot of strength for Pandora to fight off the Amazonian's pull, and, unfortunately, the magic of the lasso made intangibility impossible.<p>

"I cannot do that Pandora!" Wonder Woman answered. "What you are doing here is wrong!"

"What I'm doing here is saving lives!" Pandora shouted as she sent electricity through the lasso. Wonder Woman was briefly shocked, before she expertly removed the lasso from Pandora's wrists.

"Saving lives?!" Wonder Woman gestured to the fighting ghosts, machines, and agents below them. "This is war!"

"Exactly!" Pandora stood tall as she glared at the Amazon. "A war which you humans instigated."

"We did no such thing!" Wonder Woman exclaimed. "The ghosts have been the ones instigating fights and terror!"

"Psh! Child, you understand very little!" Pandora pointed her spear at the Amazon. "Quit looking at appearances and look at the underneath!"

"Underneath what?! People are dying!" Diana glared.

"No! The humans are fine! Ghosts are dying! And that is because you are stopping me from saving them!" Pandora yelled.

"Please, leave! I have heard of you and your exploits. You are a woman of justice." Wonder Woman asked. "I do not wish to fight you!"

"If we leave, we all die!" Pandora proclaimed. "It is now all or nothing, and I won't let Nyx become injured because of this."

"Then you leave me no choice!"

* * *

><p>"So the pathetic sacks of meat can fly now!" Undergrowth watched as the pair of human birds fly around him. "How amusing!"<p>

"You are required to surrender and turn yourself in, ghost!" The bird woman…what did she say her name was?... Hawkwoman?... That sounds about right….

"Surrender? Why would I do that?" Undergrowth cackled.

"Because we will make you!" Hawkman exclaimed.

"Make me? MAKE ME!?" Plants grew all around the area. The sandy desert was turned into a jungle. "You can try, bird humans, but you will fail!"

* * *

><p>"Torch demands you leave!" Torch yelled at the flying robot.<p>

"That would not be a practical tactic to apply." Red Tornado noted as he crossed his arms.

"Torch tried to ignore you, but you were hurting Torch's minions!" Torch exclaimed. "Three of them died because you!"

"That was not my intention." Red Tornado's voice was neutral despite his intent to sound remorseful. "I did not expect the humans to attack a downed enemy. It was their error."

"Then you see the injustice here!" Torch roared as he swung his scythe around. "Torch wanted to kill the humans, but DP said nnnnnnnnnoooooooooooooooooooo! Torch and Torch's minions need to keep the humans alive to keep face."

"Does DP mean Danny Phantom?" Red Tornado questioned.

"Doesn't matter metal head!" Flames danced around Torch. "You indirectly killed three of Torch's minions! Torch may not be allowed to kill humans, but you ain't human! Torch can incinerate you!"

"Perhaps we can solve this peacefully?" Red Tornado suggested.

"No! Torch says you are either with Torch's army or against it! Help Torch stop the humans, and there will be no fight!"

"I cannot attack agents of the UN." Red Tornado noted.

"Then prepare to become scrap metal!"

* * *

><p>Skulker had to laugh at the situation. Fate had closed a door and left a window wide open. "Hello, there Kryptonian."<p>

Superman floated in front of the hunter ghost. He seemed very conflicted by what was happening. "I don't understand what's happening…"

"What's happening is that I have a very rare creature in front of me to make part of my collection." Skulker grinned.

"What?" Superman looked shocked. "What about them? We need to stop this!"

Skulker looked down at the fighting. "Yes, the battled did not go like I had hoped."

"You started this?" Superman questioned.

"No." Skulker shook his head. "The humans started this little fight. We are merely protecting ourselves from them."

"…I believe it…" Superman remembered what happened to Vortex. "But if I attack them…"

"So you will fight us?" Skulker prepared himself for his next hunt.

"No." Superman shook his head. "I know this is the GIW's fault. I can feel it, but there's nothing I can do to stop them."

"What will you do then?" Skulker questioned. "You can't attack them, but you won't attack us."

"I…" Superman frowned. "I will stop both sides."

Skulker nodded. "I suppose that I will have to postpone my hunt of Kryptonians…"

* * *

><p>"An agent of Shazam is in my presence?" The Spectre questioned.<p>

"What?" Captain Marvel froze. "How did you…"

"I am an ancient ghost." Spectre noted. "I know a lot of people. And I know how Shazam failed with Black Atom."

Captain Marvel looked down in shame. "That was a mistake, but how could the wizard possibly know what would happen?"

"He grants such power to a mortal, then thinks everything will turn out fine…" Spectre shook his head. "What a fool…"

"Hey! Give the guy a break!" Captain Marvel frowned.

"I will not. You do not comprehend the devastation Black Atom caused." Spectre looked at the captain. "And here is the second coming of such destruction."

"I would never do anything like that!" Captain Marvel exclaimed.

"We will see…" Spectre merely stood there. "Are you here to fight me?"

"I…" Captain Marvel looked around. Dozens of GIW agents were unconscious around them. "No one here is dead…"

"Besides me…no." Spectre shook his head. "The plan was never to kill the humans. I'm sure a few will die, but not near as many as the casualties of the ghosts."

"Then…I don't want to fight you." Captain Marvel stated.

"If I leave, though, you will go to another battle field and fight there." Spectre noted.

"I will, but so would you." Captain Marvel reasoned.

"Fair point." Spectre nodded. "Then we are at a standstill. Neither of us can leave, but you won't fight. What do you suppose we do?"

"How about we talk?" Captain Marvel suggested. "I want to learn why you are doing this."

"Very well…"

* * *

><p>"Annoying pest." Fright Knight stared at the human in front of him. He was dressed in a terrible red outfit with a lightning bolt on front. "Why do you annoy me, mortal?"<p>

"Do you not see what's happening behind you? There's a freaking dragon!" The Flash pointed at the fight behind the Fright Knight.

"I am aware of what is happening in the battlefield. Do you?" Fright Knight questioned.

"I know that there's a huge freaking fight going on right now. And I know that I have to stop it." Flash stated.

"What will you do?" Fright Knight questioned.

"I'll move the ghosts away. That way no one will get hurt." The Flash explained.

"If you do that, the GIW will continue their plan to invade the Ghost Zone." The Fright Knight noted. "I will not allow that to happen."

"The GIW were planning to invade the Ghost Zone?" The Flash questioned. "When?"

"Today. That is why we stopped them." Fright Knight explained.

"How do I know you're not lying?" Flash asked.

"You don't, I suppose." Fright Knight chuckled.

The Flash stood thinking for a moment.

"If you're not going to do anything, I need to help my men." The Fright Knight turned.

A red blur then ran past him.

"Curse you, deceptive human!" Fright Knight unsheathed his sword as he flew after the speedster. "I will cut you down for you insolence!"

* * *

><p>Dora felt she had the worst luck. She never wanted to be a Sector leader. Nevertheless, she accepted, but now she wished she hadn't.<p>

"Dnes tuo a tnerrot fo retaw!" Zatara used a torrent of water to dose Dora's flames.

Of course, she had to get a magic user. She couldn't have gotten someone else. No! She had to get the one Leaguer whose every attack could hurt her.

Circling over the magician, Dora questioned what her next course of action should be. She was not completely certain that she could defeat the powerful magic user.

"Dnes eht stsohg ckab ot eht stsohG enoZ!" Zatara conjured a force that began to suck the ghosts back into the Ghost Zone.

Seeing this, Dora decided to act. She couldn't just let this happen. "RAW!"

Zatara formed a shield around himself and stopped the claw swipe. "I recognize that amulet…"

"Leave, magician." Dora roared.

"Teluma emoc ot em!" Zatara tried to summon the amulet from Dora, but it didn't work.

"Sorry, human." Dora grinned. "That won't work. The amulet cannot be moved by magic."

"Very well." Zatara pointed his hands out to the dragon. "Gninthgil ekirts!"

* * *

><p>"I knew this would happen." Plasmius sighed. "As soon as Vision told me that I would go to the Gotham Base, I was sure that you would be here to get in my way."<p>

"How could I not be here?" Batman stood across the roof from Plasmius. "You are invading the human world."

"Technically, I suppose." Plasmius shrugged. "I like to see it as stopping the humans from doing something stupid. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to keep fighting, or the tide of this fight might turn."

"I can't let you do that." Batman pulled out an ectoplasmic batarang.

"If you stop me, then ghosts will die, Bruce." Plasmius noted.

"So you figured it out, eh Vlad?" Batman didn't seemed surprised at all.

"You had to know that I would learn your secret. After the Nocturne Crisis, I was sure you knew mine, so I had to even the playing field." Plasmius chuckled. "It seems that every billionaire lives a double life, eh?"

Batman nodded. "It seems so."

"Will you let me go?" Plasmius questioned.

"I can't, but I don't want those ghosts to die either…" Batman pondered for a moment.

"There is always the third option." Plasmius smirked. "A little theater play for the people, while at the same time saving both sides."

"How do I do know you won't betray me?" Batman questioned.

"Because I have a daughter at stake here." Plasmius explained.

Batman paused for a moment. "Very well…"

* * *

><p>Vision eyed the humans below her. One looked like a blond Robin Hood. The other was a supermodel with a fetish for leather. "You are members of the Justice League."<p>

"Our reputation extends even into the Ghost Zone." Green Arrow noted as he pointed an arrow at the ghost floating above them.

"I doubt every ghost knows your names." Vision mentioned. "I, however, have done my research, Mr. Queen."

The duo froze.

"It must have been terrible being trapped on that island for so long." Vision noted. "And Miss Lance, always trying to live up to your mother's legacy. Is it out of respect or do you secretly resenting her for genetically passing on the Canary Cry to you? A little bit of mocking perhaps? After all, you never really had a choice about who you would become."

"How do you…" Black Canary glared at the ghost.

"Do you really think I would go to war without finding out every little detail about my opponents?" Vision sounded amused. "I learned everything there was to know about the GIW and about the Justice League. That's why place every Sector leader where they are."

"What are you talking about?!" Green Arrow was on edge.

"Using my birds, I monitored the Justice League's patterns, their lives, and their strategies. Using this, I carefully and mathematically determined who would be where during the war." Vision explained. A simple green bird flew to her shoulder and landed on it. "The GIW are easy to predict, but it took a lot of mental power to determine which Leaguer would be assigned in which location."

"You…knew what we would do before we did it?" Black Canary frowned. "You're bluffing. No one could think that far ahead."

"Keep thinking that." Vision laughed lightly to herself. "But then how do I know that Colossus is having a fight with a green atom. Torch is burning the wind. Pandora is testing her fury against the Amazon. Frostbite is freezing the fish. Plasmius is having a bat problem…"

"That doesn't mean anything to us. We don't know where they are." Green Arrow stated.

"Fair point, but I do." Vision noted. "I made sure to put my people at a specific advantage. Beside the non S-rank ghosts, the chance of the ghosts winning is at 95%."

"Too much math!" Green Arrow sent an explosive arrow at the ghost. A purple shield stopped it before the arrow could get close.

"That won't work. I have learned you're entire fighting style. There is nothing you can do that will surprise me." Vision stated. "Leave now, and I won't have to humiliate you swiftly and viciously. I have a war to win after all."

"Not a chance." Black Canary readied herself. "We will stop your invasion."

"My invasion? That's funny." Vision chuckled. "It is the humans' fault, not mine."

The response she received was a Canary Cry.

"Very well…" Vision's eyes darkened. "I will have to send a message to the world after all."

* * *

><p>Agent Z was shocked when Phantom started laughing. "You're a fool. You really don't understand what's going on at all. It doesn't matter what you do to me, you've already lost."<p>

"Raw!" The Exoskeleton threw Phantom to the ground. "Moron! How could I already have lost?"

Phantom shakily wiped the blood pouring down his face. "Because the world will soon blame you for everything."

"Stop speaking nonsense!" Agent Z tried to punch the downed halfa, but he was stopped. A green light had formed a beam and coiled around his arm.

"That's enough!" The John Steward Green Lantern announced. "He's down."

"What are you doing here?!" Agent Z demanded.

"We were assigned to come to the last GIW base…" The Martian Manhunter levitated himself down to the Exoskeleton's level. "But when we witnessed the explosions, we decided this took priority."

"Then attack Phantom not me!" Agent Z broke free of the green light.

"Phantom wasn't the one that threw a grenade into a crowd of people!" Green Lantern shouted.

"Yes, from our perspective, Phantom is the one in the right at the moment." Martian Manhunter noted. "We heard you say that you wanted to hunt down all ghosts. To kill them all. In short, you started this conflict."

"We need you to come with us." Green Lantern pointed his ring at the GIW agent as he floated towards Phantom.

"You can't order me around!" Agent Z tried to turn around to Phantom, but was stopped by the green alien.

"Yes, we can." The Martian Manhunter's eyes began to glow.

"You alright, kid?" Green Lantern looked over Phantom's wounds. "You're wounds look terrible."

"Forget about me." Phantom groaned out. The grenade did a number on him. "Get the Manhunter away from the Exoskeleton."

"Don't worry about J'onn. He's pretty though himself." Green Lantern tried to help Phantom but was pushed away.

"You don't understand." Phantom looked up at the hero. "The Exoskeleton has a built in flamethrower."

"**AAAAAAAHHHHHH!**" Martian Manhunter gave an ungodly scream as he was covered by a blanket of flames.

"J'onn!" Green Lantern rushed to his friend.

"Damn it…" Phantom tried to fly after him, but was still in the processes of regenerating his worse wounds. He couldn't warn Green Lantern about the Exoskeleton's strength. If he underestimated it…he might die.

* * *

><p>"Scribe!" Spirit turned to the Ghost Writer. "Danny needs help now!"<p>

"So does everyone else!" Scribe answered back.

"Two more just died in Sector 1!"

"Sector 3 is doing terribly!"

"Sector 4 needs help now!"

"Help Sector 5!"

"Have mercy on Sector 6!"

"Several ghosts are injured in Sector 8!"

"Sector 9 has three down!"

"Sector 10's force is down to half!

"Sector 11 is a blood bath!"

"What the hell are the Sector leaders doing!?" Scribe screamed.

"The Justice League is stopping them from defending the others!" Poindexter shouted. "They're being a bunch of bullies!"

"You have to help Danny now!" Spirit ran up to Scribe. "He probably only has a few minutes before he gets seriously hurt!"

"I don't have time!" The Ghost Writer yelled. "If I take a minute to help him, then hundreds of other ghosts will die!"

"What?!" Spirit screamed out. "But if you don't help him, he might die!"

The Ghost Writer gained a painful look. "I'm sorry, Spirit. Right now, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the one."

"You…" Spirit was shocked. "You'll just…let him die?"

"I have no choice." The Ghost Writer continued to type. "It's either him, or the war."

"But you're his friend!" Spirit begged.

"That's why I know he would tell me to save the others." Scribe explained. "I can't let personal feelings get in the way right now!"

"You piece of trash!" Spirit spat out. "You'll abandon him!?"

Scribe was silent.

"Everyone! Please help me here!"

Everyone was silent.

"…Nyx?"

The shadow user looked over at her rival. "I'm sorry, Dani."

"No!" Spirit looked around. No one would meet her eyes.

Looking over to the side, Spirit spotted something that had been left in the library for the duration of the war. After it had been used to plan the attack, the Sector leaders decided to keep in here. That way it would be safe.

Spirit stared at the Infimap. She had promised her father that she would not leave this place. Dani prided herself on her ability to keep promises. But…

"I can't let Danny die!" Spirit grabbed the map. "Take me to Danny!"

Before anyone could react, she was gone…

* * *

><p>"Phantom! Phantom!" A young blond female helped the halfa up. "I'm Cat Grant. Are you alright."<p>

"No…" Phantom grunted. Most of his burns were healed and the cut on his forehead was bleeding less, but it could easily be reopened. Unfortunately, the pain was still great. "What are you doing here? It's too dangerous. You need to get away."

"You can come with use." Cat Grant began to help Phantom along. "Who is the man that was attacking you? Why did he endanger the lives of civilians? Are you now allied with the Justice League?"

"A reporter…" Phantom looked over at the cameraman. For once, this was a good thing. "That man…is the leader of the Guys in White. I was trying to talk at the UN when he attacked me. I don't know what's his deal, but Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter saved me…Urg!" Phantom clutched his side in pain.

"You need medical attention!" The reporter began to move him to a car. "I'll take you to the hospital."

"No I need to stay and…" Phantom looked back at where the Exoskeleton was. "Move!"

Phantom pushed the reporter and cameraman out of the way. Just in time to, a huge blast of energy hit the spot where they just were. The spot where Phantom's left arm was right now…

"Ah!" Phantom clutched his now broken arm.

"Phantom!" Cat Grant looked up at the hurt halfa.

"Run!" Phantom tried to move away from the reporters, but stopped when the Exoskeleton ran up to him and grabbed him.

"What!?" Phantom grimaced in pain as the agent dragged him into the sky. "How did you…"

"Beat Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter so quickly? I didn't, but I distracted them enough to give me a few minutes." Agent Z smiled menacingly as he raised a giant glowing fist. "That's more than enough time."

Boom! Crash! Crumble!

Phantom felt debris fall all around him. If he had the power to, he would phase through the rubble, but he was too tired.

Grunting, the halfa pushed the destroyed wall off of him. It was a rather difficult task considering his left arm was broken. After finally getting free, Phantom took a moment to regain his bearings.

"Yeah…appeal to their better nature. Great plan, Phantom great plan…" Phantom stated as he wiped the blood pouring down from his cut forehead.

Looking up, Phantom saw his enemy approaching him. Deciding that he needed to use his most powerful attack to win, Phantom took what was usually unnecessary air into his lungs. Then he let it loose…

Only for a hand to clamp over his mouth.

"Too slow, Inviso-Bill…" The giant hand began to crush his head. "Game over."

* * *

><p>Spirit was dragged through the city of New York. The Infimap knew the way, but considering the damage she was passing, Spirit didn't doubt that they were heading in the wrong direction. Cars were turned over. Craters were spread all over the streets. Street light were destroyed. And…<p>

Was that Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter? Were they fighting Necromancers?

Generally, Spirit would have instantly stopped and helped, but she wasn't concerned about them right now. Her focus was completely on Danny right now. ('A giant hand squeezes Danny's head hard. Danny struggles. His head caves in…')

"No!" Spirit took over for the map. She flew at the Exoskeleton. With all her might, Spirit kicked the Exoskeleton, but all she accomplished was hurting her foot. "Stop it!"

The giant froze. He turned. This allowed Spirit to see the form of her brother.

"Sp…irit…" Phantom gazed at her with his swollen eyes. His face was bloody and bruised. His jacket and shirt were torn and allowed her to see his burned torso. The halfa's left arm was distorted at a painful angle.

"Danny!" Spirit reached out to help her brother.

"N…o…" Phantom tried to warn.

Boom! Spirit felt pain as she was blasted away in the huge burst of ectoplasm. The explosion consumed her small body and sent her crashing down the street.

"Oh my god…" The blond reporter knelt by the harmed child. "How could he…"

"Urg…" Spirit struggled to sit up. She couldn't, though. Everything was so blurry.

"Don't move!" The blond reporter stopped the halfa.

Spirit saw white spots around her field of vision. The direct hit did a number on her. She wasn't ready for such a powerful blow. The halfa was lucky to be conscious.

"Danny…" Spirit moaned as pushed the reporter away and pushed herself up. "I have to save him…"

"You're hurt." The reporter turned to her camera man. "Will you shut that off and help me help her!?"

"Danny…" Spirit stumbled forward. Her premonition was screaming at her. She had to get there.

Spirit's legs gave out and she fell on her face. Tears ran down her face. The premonition was over. It was too late.

"No…" She sobbed.

* * *

><p>His regeneration used the last of his energy to keep him alive after his head was almost crushed. Phantom officially had no energy left. He couldn't even lift his arms anymore.<p>

"Leave…her…alone…" Phantom barely managed to get out.

"What?! Do you really think that you're in a position to make demands?" Agent Z laughed. "You lose!"

"_Boss!"_ A voice came through Agent Z's communication. "_There's a problem!_"

"I'm busy right now!" Agent Z growled.

"_Boss! The New York base is compromised! All our plans on the invasion has been sent across the Internet! There's videos of you destroying half of New York all over YouTube!" _The other agent shouted. _"There's an uproar going on! Everyone is blaming us for this!"_

"What!?" Agent Z went pale. "That's impossible. That's…"

Agent Z paused. He remembered Phantom's words throughout their fight. He remembered everything that happened. He remembered who was currently glaring at him…with triumphant eyes.

Despite the swelling, bruises, burns and welts, Phantom's eyes were those of a person who had won. He had accomplished his goal. Agent Z would now and forever be labeled as the bad guy in this situation. Agent Z now realized what Phantom's plan truly was.

The invasion would destroy the Necromancers and the GIW assets. The ghosts would prove that they could defend themselves from an attack that was designed to slaughter them. The GIW would be blamed. The Ghosts would come out as the victims.

That was why Phantom went to the UN first. If he failed, then it looked as if the ghosts didn't want to fight. That was why he made such a scene in the middle of the city. Everything Phantom did was to gain attention. He wanted everyone to see their fight so they would see Agent Z as the bad guy.

…And Agent Z played right into this plan…

"You bastard!" Agent Z hissed.

"Told…you…Technus…would succeed…I…win…" Phantom would smile if he could.

"You're right." Scwelsh! "You win. Congratulations."

The Fenton Exoskeleton's hand had been thrust through Phantom's chest and was sticking out of his back. Phantom didn't feel any pain as he spat out green blood. He was numb.

The halfa didn't even feel it as the giant suit dropped him. He landed on the ground with a thud.

Phantom…Danny could no longer see. His body was shutting down. He could feel his body dissolve. It was over.

Only in death does a true person's character truly shows itself. In death, you show whether you are a coward or not. You show what you believe, and what kind of person you are.

In those last few nanoseconds, Phantom found that he wasn't afraid for himself. He accepted his death. He knew this would most likely happen. No, he was concerned about what would happen when he was gone. Spirit was still in danger. The war was still raging. His family could still be hurt.

Those were the last thoughts Danny had before it all went black. In the end, he was only concerned about those he cared about.

It was only in death that Phantom discovered what his obsession truly was.

* * *

><p>Where…Where was he? He was standing in long grey area. The area stretched as far as Danny could see, but the area was only a few meters wide.<p>

On one side of the grey area was a pure red area that reached everywhere on that side. That side made Danny feel…alone and sad. The other side of the grey lane was a pure gold area of warmth and joy. Danny could feel himself being pulled there.

Right above Danny was a sky river of green energy. It flowed from the center and separated into both sides. If Danny reached up, he was sure that he could touch that river in the sky.

"_Danny?_" Klemper's voice came from the gold area.

"Klemper!" Danny stared into the gold light in shock.

"_You're here already?"_ Klemper's voice questioned.

"Yes…" Danny nodded to himself.

"_Danny's here?" _Jazz's voice questioned. "_This has to be first thing he's ever been early for._"

Danny's eyes were filled with tears. "I'm here, Jazz!"

"_Dann-o!" _Jack Fenton's voice laughed. "_Come get some fudge! It's delicious!"_

"_Sweety! Come here, we missed you!"_ Maddie Fenton's voice called out.

The tears fell down Danny's face. "Dad…Mom…"

"_Dude! You got to see this place! It's amazing!"_ Tucker's voice explaimed.

"Tucker!" Danny cried.

"_Danny…"_ Sam's voice struck Danny to his core. _"Is that really you?"_

"I'm here, Sam!" Danny sobbed. "I'm here!"

"_We're waiting…_"

Without second thought, Danny reached towards the golden light…only to be stopped by a hand gently gripping his.

"If you do that, you can't come back." A girl's voice gently warned.

Danny turned and was shocked. There was a teenage girl standing right beside him. She was pale and was wearing pure black clothing. A black cross hung around her neck. In fact, black seemed to a consistent color for her with her black hair and makeup.

For a moment, Danny thought she was Sam, but he quickly dismissed that thought. She dressed in a similar way to Sam, but her face and demeanor were different. "Who…Who are you?"

"You don't remember me?" The girl pouted. "I'm Death."

* * *

><p><strong>I want to get the next chapter out by New Years, but if I don't...<strong>

**Merry Christmas. Happy New Year. Happy Holidays.**

**Thank you all for reading and please remember to...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	21. Death

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

Psalm 23:4

* * *

><p>Chapter 21: "Death"<p>

(Tuesday-May 25, 2010)

Danielle Masters was never known as an angry and depressing individual. No, in fact, she was the opposite. She loved to be the life of the part. Everything about her upbeat personality drew attention to her. Yes, no one would generally describe her as someone with a chip on her shoulder. That was usually the description of her brother.

…her dead brother…and the killer was standing down the street from her.

So, Spirit made an exception this one time. She decided to be angry, depressed, and vengeful, and beat the life out of her brother's killer.

"No!" Spirit pushed herself to her feet. Tears ran down her face. Raw angry ran through her veins.

Spirit felt her energy return as she felt her emotions give her power. This was so different than her usual power. It was so strong, yet at the same time, she could tell it wouldn't last long.

Ignoring the reporters by her, Spirit stepped forward and sent a barrage of ectoplasmic blasts at the giant suit. Each blast bounced off the metal without causing any damage. This didn't stop Spirit, though. She was determined to make the agent pay.

"How could you!" Spirit cried. She sent a continuous beam at the suit, but it did nothing to the suit.

"The other one, eh?" Agent Z began to approach the halfa. He did nothing to stop her waves of attacks. The attacks couldn't hurt him. "Completely forgot about you for a second."

"RAW!" Spirit could taste the tears running down her face. "Curse you!"

"What? For that?" Agent Z seemed amused. "I just helped him get where he's supposed to be. The dead should stay dead, and the same can be said for you."

"You're wrong!" Spirit spat. She rushed forward and sent an assault of punches and kicks at the Exoskeleton. "We deserve our lives just as much as anyone else!"

His response was to backhand her. Spirit went sprawling across the street painfully. Despite this, she shakily pushed herself up.

"Ghosts are nothing but empty shells and memories of those who have passed on." Agent Z strode over to the trembling girl. "Mistakes that need to be erased."

"Is that…" Spirit glared. "Why you killed Klemper and Danny? You think they were mistakes?!"

"Of course." Agent Z growled. "Mistakes that have cost me everything. After this war, I may go down, but I'm dragging every last ghost with me."

"If that that's your line of thinking, then your logic is opposite of what it should be…" Spirit angrily stated. "You're the one who's a mistake, not Danny. He tried to help people! He risked his life dozens of times to keep people safe! All you've done is kill and destroy! You're trash that deserves to be spat on-Gah!"

Agent Z grabbed Spirit. Almost her entire body fit into his massive hand. Only her feet and head were free.

The GIW agent pointed a machine gun at her head. "That's enough, little brat. Time to join your friend."

* * *

><p><em>Memory sequence begin<em>

_All he knew was pain. Every second of his brief existence was terrible. The pain was so great that he couldn't even cry. He could only squirm in agony._

_It was supposed to be a time of celebration and joy. A new life had just entered the world not that long ago. A pure soul had arrived whose personality has yet to be sculpted and shaped._

_Instead, for the small babe and his new family, it was a time of great suffering and grief._

_The birth had…complications to say the least. He was almost a month premature. His immune system was terribly weak. His skin and bones were fragile, easily hurt and broken. He was small and weak._

_In short…his survival at this point was unlikely._

"_His…condition has worsened." The doctor peered down at the child in the glass box._

_Jack Fenton held his crying wife close to him. "Is…is there anything that can be done?"_

"_I wish I could say that there is." The doctor sighed painfully. "But his body…it can't survive. It's too weak."_

_Maddie gave a sob. "T-this i-is my f-fault…"_

"_No." Jack hugged her close. "It's not. No one is to blame. It's just…I don't know…"_

_The small infant could not comprehend the words being said. Their meaning was lost to the infant. But…he could feel the sadness in the room. He didn't want them to be sad…_

"_I'm sorry." The doctor shook his head. "Nothing can be done. Nothing short of a miracle could keep him alive more than a night…"_

"_We understand…" Jack fought back tears. They understood, but they weren't happy. "We'll just…stay here and wait."_

_Time passed, and the young infant's condition only became worse. Both parents stood over their child and watched as he slowly passed away._

"_What…what will we tell Jazz?" Jack asked._

"_I don't know…" Maddie cried. "What can we tell her? She was so excited about being a big sister. Now…"_

"_Yeah…" Jack trembled. "He…he looks perfectly fine. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was just…falling asleep."_

_Maddie merely sobbed._

_The child felt weak. The pain was fading. That would usually be a good thing, but now…he wasn't feeling anything. He was numb._

"_It's okay, little one,"__ A friendly voice calmed the child. __"Your pain is over now…"_

_The baby was filled with a new feeling. This one wasn't painful, though. He felt…good. Everything was so warm and comfortable now. The past pain and numbness was now gone._

_The baby let out a giggle._

_The two people standing over him didn't seem to notice, though. He reached up to them, but they didn't see him for some reason. Something was coming out of their face. What was it? They didn't seem happy, though. Why weren't they happy?_

_The child didn't notice that he was floating above his once living body._

_Another figure appeared above him. She stood at the opposite side of the glass box he was currently in. The baby liked her. She was smiling._

"_It's always so sad when they die young."__ The girl noted. __"But don't worry, little one. You'll be home soon."_

_The girl reached through the glass and gently picked up the departed soul. __"And up we go~" __She cooed._

_The baby soul enjoyed being held by her. She gently rocked him. Her smile made him feel good. He could only smile in her grasp._

_Until he realized that the other two people were still crying._

_They seemed really sad now. The woman had collapsed and had to be held up by the man. The man was not fairing any better. He seemed to be screaming at the sky._

_The child felt a pull in his chest. He didn't want them to be upset. They had looked after him during the hurt._

"_Poor things…"__ The girl holding him commented. __"Losing your child is one of the worst things that you can go through. I wish I could help, but there's nothing that can be done anymore."_

_The baby stared at the two adults. He wanted them to stop being sad. They seemed nice. They didn't deserve to hurt like he did._

_He tried to reach out to them._

"_I'm sorry, little one."__ The shook her head. __"They can't see you, let alone hold you."_

_This didn't stop the baby. He wanted to be with them! Why couldn't he go to them? He had to stop their pain!_

"_It's time to go, Danny."__ The girl smiled. She began to carry him away._

_What? No! He wanted to go to the other people! Why wouldn't she let him go back?!_

"_You don't want to go back, Danny."__ The girl noted. __"You're going to a better place now. You'll never be in pain again."_

_What was she doing! The baby began to squirm. He had to go back!_

"_Shh…It's okay~"__ The girl cooed. __"Calm down, please."_

_The baby wouldn't quite grasp what happened next. He reached out and tried to pull himself back towards the people. The weird thing was…it worked._

_He began to move towards his cooling body. In fact, he was dragging the girl with him. She seemed completely shocked by development._

"_What?"__ The girl tried to pull back and they stopped._

_NO! He wanted to go back! His soul began to glow green._

"_Huh?"__ The girl gasped. That was impossible. Did he just…_

_She let go. His soul zoomed back to the body. If the grieving parents weren't so consumed in their despair, they would have noticed when the body glowed slightly. Color came back to the baby's cheek. His bones and skin grew stronger. His organs burst back to life._

"_WWWWWAAAAAAHHHHHH!" The baby screamed._

_The parents turned in shock. Their faces were ones of complete joy and absolute disbelief. They instantly checked on the child, while, at the same time, calling for a doctor._

_The girl stood there for a moment. She stared at the child. That was impossible. There was no way any mortal being could possibly do that. But…he did._

_The baby…Danny Fenton…had willed himself back to life by…using her powers. He didn't become a ghost. He didn't use the ectoplasmic energy around him._

_No. He had pulled himself back to his body and used her powers to strengthen and heal his body._

_A baby had denied Death._

_Memory sequence end_

* * *

><p><em>Memory sequence begin<em>

_Danny just had to step into the stupid portal. He had to let Sam convince him to step into the portal to another dimension. And of course, he had to hit the on switch the moment he entered the portal._

_Who puts the on switch on the inside of a dangerous machine anyway?_

_There was a single moment where Danny realized what he had done. The sound of the machine activating made a chill go up his spine. Green light shined all around him. Danny realized in that single moment that he was __screwed._

_Then came the pain._

"_**AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!**__" Danny's voice screamed out in complete agony._

_His skin felt like it was melting. His organs felt like they were bursting. His body felt like it was about to explode._

_Danny could never recall anything every being this painful before. Despite not being physically strong, Danny thought that he could endure pain. He could take being punched, kicked, and shoved in lockers._

_This, however, was a whole new level of pain._

_The truth of the matter was that this moment didn't last all that long. It was merely a few seconds at most. That didn't stop Danny from feeling like it lasted over one hundred years. To him, the pain seemed to go on forever._

_Danny was never a religious person. To him, the concept that man evolved and held no real purpose in life was depressing. Reincarnation made some sense, but who decided what's right and wrong when so many cultures differed. He toyed with the idea of God, but no religious texts ever mentioned aliens like Superman and the Martians._

_Yet, Danny would not call himself an atheist. Danny believed that there was some higher beings out there. Something was looking over him. In fact, Danny might say that he did believe in a Creator God of some sort. The universe had to some from somewhere right? Danny didn't like thinking he and his species happened on accident._

_In that moment, Danny saw someone in that portal with him. He instantly knew that she wasn't of this plane of existence. She stood above his merger existence._

_Danny instantly knew why she was here. She was some kind of…agent of death. He was going to die and she was going to take him to the afterlife._

_He…didn't want to die, though._

_He was fourteen for Pete's sake! There was still so much to do! Danny had a life to live, and he was going to miss out on it because of this stupid accident!_

_The girl reached out for him. It wasn't an act of ill intent. She wanted to stop the pain the only way she could. For a moment, Danny thought about merely accepting this. The pain…the agony…was terrible. He would give anything for it to stop._

_Reaching out, Danny was about to take her hand, when…_

"_Danny!" Sam's voice called from outside the portal. She must be terrified for him._

_Danny stopped his hand. Sam would definitely blame herself for this. She would be a wreck. She didn't have a lot of people who accepted her and her strange beliefs. There was a good chance this might break her…_

_And what about Tucker? He tried to act all tough and confident, but he had secret doubts about himself. The comments at about him being a nerd and geek hit harder that what most people saw. Danny made sure to always be there to help, though. He would always have his friend's back, now he would never be able to help again…_

_Then his family…They would be completely devastated. Jazz's GPA and future would take a complete 180, because of the grief. His mom would go into a complete depression. His dad would blame himself until the day he died…_

_They all needed him. If he died, they would be broken. Their lives would be ruined. He couldn't let that happen._

_He shouldn't die…_

_He couldn't die…_

_He wouldn't die…_

_He refused to die!_

_Danny pulled his arm back. He fought. With every bit of willpower he had, Danny struggled against the pain. Danny gritted his teeth and fought back with everything he had._

_The girl stood mesmerized. Danny's hair bled white. His suit's colors inverted. The pale skin became tanner. Blue eyes became green._

_For a moment, the girl thought the boy became a full ghost, but then his form flickered back. He was once again in his human form. Then, he was back as the ghost._

_The boy wasn't becoming a ghost…he was absorbing the ectoplasmic energy!_

_The girl remembered the boy from fourteen years ago. He had used her own powers to bring his body back to life. Was that why this was possible?_

_Finally, the boy's image stayed as the ghost. He no longer seemed to be in pain. In fact, he seemed almost comfortable in the swirling green energy._

_His eyes stared into hers. They weren't the eyes of a dead man. No, those were the eyes of a man who knew he was going to live._

_That only lasted a moment, however. The process of absorbing the energy had exhausted the boy. He quickly fell into unconsciousness._

_In a split reaction, the girl reached out to the boy. She grabbed him and threw him out of the portal. He needed to be with his friends and family, not in the Ghost Zone._

_The girl watched as the group of teenagers reacted to Danny's transformation. She stood and observed as they tried to make sense over an illogical situation. Once again, this boy had defied on of the most powerful forces in the universe on his sheer force of will._

_She had watched him for a long time. He had suffered more than such a pure soul should have. The girl wondered what he would do from here. She could never see into the future. She always lived in the now._

"_Danny Fenton…" The girl smiled as she watched him. "You never cease to amaze me. What will you do next?"_

_Memory sequence end_

* * *

><p>"I…" Danny's eyes widened. "I remember you…"<p>

"I'm glad." Death smiled. "I'm pretty memorable, but I'm not surprised that your memory needed a jumpstart. The first time we met, you were a baby, and the second time was rather traumatic. No one would be able to recall such incidents without help."

"I can't believe it…" Danny muttered.

"What's so hard to believe?" Death's eyes twinkled in amusement. "You live in a world with meta-humans, aliens, and ghosts. Does a force of nature actually having a personality shock you?"

"No, not that…" Danny was overwhelmed. "The fact that…that…"

"We are connected?" Death chuckled.

"Yeah…" Danny breathed out.

"Yes, I was shocked at first as well." Death mentioned. "No being has ever done what you did. You willed yourself back to life not once, but twice."

"Both times, though…It wasn't just force of will…" Danny noted.

"No," Death shook her head. "Both circumstances were rather unusual. My siblings and I could hardly believe it ourselves. My force of nature cannot be fought. The others…Dream, Destruction, and even Destiny…can be denied. But me? Well, those who are meant to die will die."

"You have siblings?" Danny's eyes widened.

"Yes, there are seven of us." Death explained. "Seven forces of the universe that will always be a constant in life. Destiny, Death, Dream, Destruction, Despair, Desire and Delirium. We are the Endless. We existed from the beginning, and we will stay until the end."

"Endless…siblings…" Danny breathed. "People soul search all their lives for answers like this."

"People don't need to know." Death explained. "We aren't gods, unlike the foolish mortals who proclaim themselves as such and demand to be worshiped. The Olympians, New Genesis, and Apocalypse. Such arrogance…Even they are effected by the Endless, and eventually they will die. Having a long life does not make you immortal."

"But…I did defy death…" Danny noted. "I'm no god, though…I was always the average kid. How can I do it when no one else can?"

"Well, people have come back before, but it was not the same 'life.' It was more like a rebirth." Death explained. "You, however, used the energy available around you to force your body back to life."

"So the first time…" Danny began.

"You borrowed my power." Death's face was the one of utmost delight. "You used the power of death to live. Unusual, right? But you did it. By doing so, you connected us. Since that time, you have always been stronger the closer I am to you. That's why you always grow more powerful in battle. Because of the risk of death."

"The second time…" Danny noted.

"You absorbed the ectoplasmic radiation from your portal." Death smiled. "Ectoplasm has an…affinity with me. Ghosts refuse to move on, so the ectoplasm works to make a new body for them. You, however, fused the energy with your body. Any other mortal would have died from that, but you changed, became stronger, and lived."

"But I'm not the only halfa…" Danny noted.

"Yes, but you are the only halfa to live without any complications." Death nodded. "Both Vlad Masters and Dani Masters had terrible circumstances surrounding their change and 'birth.' These complications would have killed them without your interference."

"So…is it because of you? The reason I'm like this?" Danny questioned.

"You were born with a special trait. A trait that very few have." Death smiled brightly. "The trait of raw selflessness. You care so much about others that you actually did the impossible. First, you connected yourself with me, then you used that connection to become a halfa."

"Yes…I did it for my family…" Danny nodded slowly. "It's…always been about them."

"Yes, you protect what you care about and what matters to you. I'm sure you noticed it when you died a third time." Death pointed at Danny's chest. "It is your obsession. As a person, as a ghost, as a hero…"

"And that's why…I've always been so angry and full of hate after the Nasty Burger Incident." Danny breathed out. "I failed to protect them. In that instant, I was filled with hate for the world where my obsession ceased to exist. And that hate made me stronger, but only in short bursts…"

"But your obsession never died." Death smiled gently. "It was merely transferred to different people. Your new family, friends, rivals, comrades, and even enemies. That was why you continued on, and why you became stronger. It was all for them. But…yes, you blamed everyone for the loss of the people you loved.

"Those emotions were still connected to your obsession, so they made you stronger. It was a large boost for sure, but it had terrible consequences as you already know." Death finished.

"My bitterness…it was in fact a terrible burden." Danny remembered the words of Dora.

"Yes, it was." Death nodded.

Danny sighed. "But…it's too late now. I died already. My body dissolved. There's nothing I can do now to change anything."

"Not necessarily." Death smiled brightly. "You see this is the Lane Between…or as you humans like to call it, Purgatory."

"But…it's not a waiting place." Danny noted.

"No." Death noted. "I bring souls here to go where they belong."

Danny looked between the gold and red areas. "Heaven and Hell?"

"Those aren't the words I would use, but, essentially, yes." Death nodded.

"Then…where do I go?" Danny asked worriedly.

"You have earned the right to enter the gold area." Death gestured to the right. "Of course, you could always go to the red area…"

"I'd prefer the gold." Danny deadpanned. "So…I can be with them? My family and friends?"

"Yes, but there is another option." Death pointed above them to the river of green energy. "Ghosts are different, you see. Their place has already been determined. When they pass one, they automatically go where they are meant to go. Their energy, however is different. It filters in here and then is released back into the physical realm."

"Oh…" Danny's eyes widened.

"Exactly. Because of your connection to me, you can temporarily absorb the power and energy of other ghosts when that ghost passes on or is about to in a short amount of time." Death explained. "Like with Vortex and Klemper."

"Then…I can use this power to reform my body…" Danny finished. "But both those time…I couldn't control the boost in power."

"That was because there was an internal conflict between the ghost's ectoplasm and your ectoplasm. Vortex wanted only destruction, and Klemper's death caused a mental breakdown. Now, however, every ghost is willingly working with you. You all want the same thing. You want to destroy the GIW." Death stated.

"…And here I thought that Rachel girl was just trying to get my attention. A hero worship thing…" Danny sighed to himself. "I should have known better. Especially considering her ability to use magic."

"You figured it out?" Death's eyes sparkled.

"Well, Vlad did." Danny admitted. "He recognized her use of magic…dumbass magic…"

"How amusing…" Death grinned.

Danny stared into the gold light. He yearned to be at peace. The thing he wanted most was to be with them again, but… "I can't abandon them. I have a responsibility to everyone to finish this war."

"Well said," Death closed her eyes peacefully. "A hero is merely the person who is willing to do what needs to be done when no one else is willing to do it…And that definition has always described you."

"Thank you…for everything." Danny bowed his head gratefully.

"You're welcome." Death gave him one last smile. "And know this, the Endless are behind you. We…I…will be watching. I expect great things, Danny Phantom."

"You bet." Danny readied himself.

"Be careful, Danny." Death encouraged. "And remember, one act of random kindness can go along way."

Danny starred at her for a moment, then smiled. "Yeah…"

Then, he plunged his hands into the river of green.

* * *

><p>Agent Z grabbed Spirit. Almost her entire body fit into his massive hand. Only her feet and head were free.<p>

The GIW agent pointed a machine gun at her head. "That's enough, little brat. Time to join your partner."

Suddenly, the ground beneath him began to shake. The air became heavy. A massive light appeared behind the agent.

And it was all originating from where Phantom's body dissolved.

Agent Z turned. "That's impossible…You can't just come back…What…What the hell is happening!?"

The area where Phantom was last seen could be compared to a miniature sun. Light was shining so bright that a person could easily go blind by looking at it. Energy was rolling off it in waves. Despite this, Spirit really only noticed one thing about the light and energy.

It was all pure white.

"Danny…" Spirit sobbed as she saw her brother appear as the light fade. He stood proud and tall. His wounds were gone, and his clothes were back to normal. His flared about from the energy, but in all, there was only one significant change. Both his eyes were emitting a beautiful white glow.

He had no pupils. The eyes were pure white, but Spirit could tell where he was looking at. He was staring down Agent Z.

Phantom spoke. His voice was commanding and powerful. "**Let her go.**"

"As if!" Agent Z gripped the ghost girl harder. Spirit screamed in pain. "I'll kill her, then you!"

In retrospect, he shouldn't have taken his eyes away from Phantom. For a few split seconds, Agent Z sneered at the girl in his massive hand. He completely ignored Phantom in favor of torturing the girl. That was a big mistake.

By the time Agent Z turned back to Phantom to taunt the ghost, it was too late. Phantom had traveled down the street at record setting speed. He was right in front of Agent Z.

The next thing the GIW agent knew was that he was flying away. Spirit was out of his grasp, and the massive Exoskeleton was tumbling away from the halfa. He landed with a crash into a lamp post down the street.

Agent Z quickly stood up. He didn't know what happened. How was he sent flying like that? The agent looked down as was shocked by what he saw.

In the near impenetrable metal was an indent in the shape of Phantom's fist.

Down the street, Phantom held his sister close. "**Are you okay?**"

Spirit sobbed. "I am now."

"**I'm glad.**" Phantom turned to the reporters who were watching in awe. The camera man seemed to still be taping the event. "**Please, take her away from here. I don't want her to get hurt from this.**"

"I…um…" Cat Grant stuttered.

Spirit slid out of Phantom's grasp. Normally, she would give her brother a hard time, but she wasn't in the mood. She would listen. Grabbing the reporters, she stated. "Let's go. I don't think it will be safe here."

Phantom nodded at them as they went. "**Stay safe.**"

Turning, Phantom glared at the Exoskeleton wearing agent. It was time to destroy that stupid suit.

* * *

><p>"Nothing's working! I thought these ecto-arrows could hurt ghosts!?" Green Arrow yelled.<p>

"Against normal ghosts, perhaps, but against me? Not a chance." Vision stated as floated above them. Her quickly forming shields made each of Green Arrow's attack in effective.

"Huff…I don't get it…huff…" Black Canary whispered. "Those shields…pant…shouldn't be able to stop my Canary Cries."

"We haven't even been able to land a hit…" Green Arrow groaned. "And her blasts hurt like hell."

"There is a simple answer to that…" Vision petted the bird on her shoulder. The bird had yet to move from the spot since the fight began.

"And what's that?" Green Arrow pointed his arrow at the ghost.

Black Canary heard a whisper in her ear. "That's because you've been attacking an illusion…"

Green Arrow was suddenly blasted back by a wave of purple energy. Black Canary felt a hand cover her mouth. On instinct, Black Canary tried to flip the ghost, but her grip passed right through the ghost's arm. By the time Vision removed her hand, a blob of ectoplasm now covered Black Canary's mouth.

Thus…she could no longer use the Canary Cry…

Black Canary flipped away from the ghost. She didn't want to get caught up in a follow up attack.

Green Arrow groaned as he quickly jumped to his feet. He looked down at his signature weapon. It was broken.

"And thus, you lose." Vision stated. With a wave of her hand, the illusion above them faded. The bird that faked being on the illusion's shoulder quickly flew off. "All your possible attacks that could harm are no longer useable…"

Vision trailed off. What was that? It felt off. A massive power surge. From this distance, only her keen senses could feel it. It was doubtful that anyone other Colossus or Scribe could sense it, but she did.

Could it be…Yes. It was coming from New York. She whispered. "A 0.00000067 percent chance and you made it happen…"

The two heroes didn't hear what she whispered. Green Arrow shouted. "Do you really think that we'll give up?!"

Black Canary nodded in agreement.

"You no longer have a choice." Vision began to float away. "You can no longer distract me. I must return to battle."

"You won't get away!" Green Arrow charged forward with an arrow in his hand.

"Fool…"

Boom!

* * *

><p>"RAW!" Colossus rammed a shockwave powered fist into Captain Atom's head causing it to slam into the ground. A large crater appeared beneath them.<p>

Captain Atom struggled to get up, but he couldn't. He had taken too much damage. The giant ghost's attacks were devastating. Eventually, the captain collapsed in a heap.

"Captain!" Green Lantern huffed out. He was sporting several bad injuries himself. He was covered in bruises and cuts. He could barely concentrate enough to use his ring.

Colossus breathed out slowly. These guys were rather tough. The giant ghost was sporting even more injuries than then at the beginning of the fight. There was nothing that could be considered more than a minor annoyance for the giant, however.

"Ha!" Green Lantern sent a green jet at the ghost.

Colossus merely shattered it with as shockwave. "Your attacks are getting weaker. There is no chance of winning. Take your comrade and leave honorably."

"Huff…you…pant…didn't kill him…" Green Lantern noted.

"I don't kill honorable opponents." Colossus grinned. "But I will knock you out too if you don't leave…huh?"

Colossus felt something off in the air. There was a great power coming from somewhere. It felt…odd. The giant doubted that many of the other ghosts could feel it, but Colossus had a sixth sense for powerful opponents.

His thoughts were interrupted by a blast of green willpower energy. Colossus felt a small bruise begin to form in that area.

"Eh?" Colossus turned slowly. His face showed anger. "I give you the chance to leave and you attack me from behind…How dare you insult my honor!"

A giant shockwave sent Green Lantern flying back.

"No one insults my honor!"

* * *

><p>Torch glared at his opponent. "It seems that Torch and you are at a standstill."<p>

"It appears so…" Red Tornado agreed.

The battle had been pretty evenly matched. The fire and wind users had fought with everything they could. Torch was covered in cuts and bruises. Red Tornado was damaged badly by both the fire melting some of his metal and the scythe cutting his armor.

Eventually, the battle had arrived at an impasse. Torch was holding his scythe against Red Tornado's metal neck. Red Tornado's hand was placed on Torch's chest ready to cut the ghost down.

"Torch could easily cut your head off…" Torch noted. "But then, you would kill Torch at the same time."

"I would not kill you." Red Tornado explained. "But I would have to incapacitate you. The blast might take a couple months to heal from."

"Yeah…" Torch couldn't take his eyes off Red Tornado, but he was extremely worried about his minions. "Neither Torch or Red Tornado can win this fight. There is still the possibility of a truce."

"There is, but then you have to go back to the Ghost Zone." Red Tornado explained.

"Torch cannot do that!" Torch cried. "Torch must protect Torch's minions! If Torch leaves, then the Guys in White will hunt Torch's minions down! Torch can't let them die!"

Red Tornado was silent.

Torch felt sweat pore down his face. He knew that his minions were losing right now. He couldn't let them die. So, Torch did the only thing he could.

He ignored his pride and begged.

"Torch begs you. Let Torch help his minions." Torch trembled. "That is all Torch cares about. Please, Torch is begging you to have a heart. Don't let them die…"

Red Tornado slowly took his hand away from Torch's chest. "Go. I will assist the best I can."

"Thank you!" Torch flew towards his minions. "Thank you so much!"

* * *

><p>"I…I don't understand really." Captain Marvel noted. "Phantom…rallied all the ghosts in order to save their lives."<p>

"Yes." Spectre nodded.

"Then…He was trying to save people. He is a hero…" Captain Marvel seemed relieved.

"Yes, he is." Spectre nodded.

"Then I have to help!" Captain Marvel exclaimed.

"If you help us, they you would be expelled from the League." The Spectre noted.

"Maybe…but…" Captain Marvel grimaced. "If I don't help, then I won't be able to sleep at night…"

The Spectre examined the captain for a moment. "I do not sense that you are lying…"

"I'm not!"

"Then come. We have lives to save."

* * *

><p>"Foolish little girl!" Pandora sent a large blast of energy at the Amazon.<p>

Wonder Woman dodged to the side and flew towards the large ghost. She was at the disadvantage her. Pandora was an expert of close, medium, and far range attacks.

Wonder Woman had trained in all weapons, but she only had her fists right now. None of her equipment could help her in this fight. So, she had to get close to hurt the ghost.

That task was proving to be difficult, however. Pandora was incredibly strong. Her extra limbs gave her the advantage as well. Wonder Woman had been careful so far, but she was afraid that she would slip up soon.

Pandora thrust her spear at the Amazon, but Wonder Woman swerved around it gracefully. The Amazon then tried to strike Pandora on her side, but Pandora's extra arm blocked the blow.

Wonder Woman ducked as Pandora swung her spear at the Leaguer. The Amazon quickly flew up and tried to strike Pandora in the face. Pandora dodged, however, and flew back to gain some distance.

Wonder Woman felt sweat pour down her body. This battle was not promising. Pandora had a lot more experience than her, and the power to back it up.

"RAW!" Pandora shot a blast down below them. The ectoplasmic energy hit a Necromancer and sent the machine reeling.

Wonder Woman felt insulted. "Am I not enough of a battle?! You keep firing down into the machines!"

"I have a duty to destroy those accursed machine!" Pandora felt herself begin to tire. She had been trying to manage both battles, and it was exhausting her. She would be hard pressed to fight Wonder Woman without any distractions, but if she kept this up, she would exhaust herself in mere minutes. "You're just getting in my way!"

"I'm trying to stop this massacre!" Wonder Woman exclaimed.

"Once again, you have it wrong, Amazon…" Pandora growled. "You're promoting it by interfering!"

* * *

><p>By now, the water was more like ice and slush. Aquaman was indeed having a hard time swimming in the water. He was used to cold water, but ice was entirely different. Luckily, Aquaman's control over the water helped melt the ice, but…<p>

"ROAR!" Frostbite's claw attack almost sliced open the Atlantian.

The king of the seas was using his boosted strength and speed in water. He could easily dodge the yet ghost's close range attacks, but the Atlantian could not attacking using punches or kicks. The one time he tried, he almost completely froze his fist.

Long range attacks did not work either. Frostbite froze the water before it could get close to him. Then there were the shards of ice coming at him. Aquaman's boosted speed allowed him to easily dodge the attacks, but there was a problem.

Aquaman was running out of room to move…

"Ack!" Aquaman bumped into a particularly large chunk of ice.

That delay only lasted a brief moment. That was all the Frostbite need, though. The yeti ghost quickly caught the Atlantian by his wrist. Aquaman was trapped.

The Atlantian's first instinct to strike the ghost, but he knew that would hurt him. He could already feel his arm begin to freeze. Panic quickly set in for Aquaman.

For a brief moment, Aquaman was sure that Frostbite would kill him. The look in the yeti ghost's eyes was terrifying. Frostbite looked as if he was ready to tear the Atlantian in half.

Imagine Aquaman's surprise when the yeti ghost merely froze the Atlantian. The only thing that Frostbite left unfrozen was his head.

"I apologize." Frostbite stated. "I almost let my instincts get the better of me."

"It is rare for a foe of mine to apologize." Aquaman noted. "It is also rare for one to defeat me like this. You have a lot of power. I haven't met an ice user that could possibly match you."

"Thank you, but if this fight was on the surface, it might have ended differently. I do not require air, and could stop all possible attacks by freezing the water. You're strongest element was also your downfall." Frostbite turned. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a fight to finish."

With that, he was gone.

Looking at his situation, Aquaman sighed. "I knew I should have brought Kaldur…"

* * *

><p>Dora groaned as she collapsed on the ground. Her form quickly turned back to a more humanoid appearance. She just had to get the magic user…<p>

Zatara approached the downed dragon girl. His clothes were messed up, and he had a few burns, but he wasn't that injured.

Of course, Dora wasn't injured that much either. She had a few cuts and bruises. No, what really got her was the exhaustion. Zatara's attacks were meant to drain her energy, not kill her.

To Dora, however, this was worse. She had failed her people. Dora would rather suffer death, then know that she had failed her people so badly.

"No…" Dora began to cry. "I failed…"

Zatara knelt down and offered her a handkerchief. "Don't cry, please."

Dora sobbed. "I was in charge…I failed my people…Now they will all die!"

Zatara gently wiped her tears. "Die? From what?"

"The Necromancers! They'll kill all my people!" Dora cried.

"Those machines made of ectoranium?" Zatara questioned. "Just look around."

Dora raised her head. The area all around them were filled with the destroyed machines. The remaining ghosts were all resting now. They were exhausted. "H-how?"

"Weapons made of such a metal are obviously meant to kill ghosts." Zatara noted. "These Guys in White were obviously planning on killing you all. That is why I destroyed them as we fought. Luckily, ectoranium is extremely weak to magic."

Dora felt tears swell up again. This time, however, they were tears of joy. "Thank you so much."

"It was no trouble, Miss…" Zatara hinted.

"Dora." The dragon girl bowed to the magician.

"It was not trouble, Miss Dora." Zatara sighed. "But unfortunately, I can't let you or the others ghosts leave yet."

"I understand." Dora nodded in acceptance.

"Erutpac eht stsohg!"

* * *

><p>"Ah!" Hawkwoman yelled in pain as the ghost's plants coiled around her. She felt thorns prick into her skin.<p>

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" Undergrowth yelled as he grabbed Hawkman out of the air. "EVEN WITH WING, YOU SACKS OF FLESH ARE SO WEAK!"

The fight was a complete mismatch. Any damage Hawkman or Hawwoman did was quickly made irrelevant. Undergrowth's powers of regeneration was incredible.

Across the dunes of sand were metal corpses of Necromancers. Those things had cause great trouble for Undergrowth, but eventually they were overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of the plants. Even then, many of Undergrowth's plants were destroyed during the battle.

In addition, all the other ghosts had retreated to the Ghost Zone. None of them wanted to deal with the out of control plant ghost. Undergrowth had no idea where they went, and he didn't care. He was just having too much fun.

"Let's see how many feathers I can pluck before you pass out from pain!" Undergrowth hollered.

* * *

><p>The Fright Knight felt conflicted by what was happening. The Flash was both helping and hindering the ghosts. The knight ghost never had such a combination of friend and foe.<p>

Flash had disarmed the GIW agents and managed to deactivate quite a few Necromancers. On the other hand, the Flash had also knocked out quite a few of his men. The Fright Knight didn't know whether to help the speedster, or to cut him down.

He decided to be…what was the country?...Switzerland…Yes, that was what the humans said. He was Switzerland.

At least until the Flash tried to attack him, of course.

"Red devil!" Fright Knight sent a burning jewel at the speedster. It did not make contact.

That was the problem with this fight. Fright Knight could not catch up to the Flash. All he could see was a red blur as he tried to blast the red wearing speedster. The Flash, however, could not attack the Fright Knight without getting cut. His ability to vibrate through objects did not work on the powerful Soul Shredder.

The only thing that the Fright Knight could do was try to wear the Flash down. He knew that the speedster had a metabolism problem. It was rather common knowledge. Thus, the Flash would tire far before the Fright Knight did, but then the Flash could easily escape the knight ghost.

Of course, the Fright Knight did not appreciated this scenario. It made him feel slow and weak.

"RAW!" Fright Knight cut a Necromancer into two. "I tire of this!"

* * *

><p>"This is quite amusing!" Plasmius noted as he sent a blast of ectoplasm at Batman's general location. The blast wasn't meant to hit the Batman, however. It was all for appearance.<p>

Batman easily dodged the blast and sent an explosive batarang at the older halfa. It missed, but only barely.

Both attacks had managed to knock out a few GIW agents. The majority of the Necromancers and GIW were already destroyed and knocked out respectively. Batman and Plasmius did a spectacular job acting like they were fighting when they were in fact just attacking the GIW.

"Amusing?" Batman growled. "What's so amusing?"

"This was not how I was expecting my day to go!" Plasmius made three duplicates. They each spread out and sent a barrage of ectoplasmic blasts around the Batman. The explosion managed to make a Necromancer falter.

Batman quickly finished it off by a well-placed batarang to its neck. "And how exactly did you expect it to go?!"

"A lot worse than this!" Plasmius reabsorbed his duplicates. "For once, I the best case scenario actually happened. I find it quite amusing!"

Batman grunted as he dropped smoke pellets. "Your best case scenario is my worst case scenario."

"That is why it is amusing…"

* * *

><p>Superman held the tiny ghost in his hand. He had known that Skulker was mostly tech. His x-ray vision had confirmed that earlier. But he didn't think…he didn't think that the suit would be broken so easily by the Necromancers.<p>

With his suit destroyed, Skulker tried to escape back to the Ghost Zone. Superman couldn't fault him for that, but the Kryptonian didn't anticipate what happened next. He was too busy to notice as a Necromancer attacked the weakened Skulker.

The Necromancer was on the hunter ghost in the blink of an eye. Skulker was defeated even faster than that. Superman might not have been able to stop it, but he made sure to rip the Necromancer in halfa.

After the, the Man of Steel made short work of Necromancers. He was in no mood for games, and he had no problem using his full power on a bunch of machines that were meant only to kill.

"Dear Lord…" Superman muttered. After every Necromancer and GIW agent were taken care of, Superman returned to the hunter ghost. He was…almost completely cut in half. "How could they do this?"

The small green blob couched. "They…don't view us…as people…"

"But you can fell pain!" Superman stated.

"Yes…I know…" Skulker force out. "Erg!... That smarts…"

"Hold on! I'll get help!" Superman carried the hunter as gently as possible.

"Look…around…" Skulker murmured. "I…am not…the only one to share this…fate…"

Superman scowled. He could, in fact, see the death all around him.

"This…is it…" Skulker gasped out. "I…never…thought I would…go out…as the prey…"

Superman said nothing.

"Kryptonian…I have…a request…" Skulker stated.

"What is it?" Superman questioned.

"Tell…the world…that Skulker…was the greatest…hunter…in the world…"

Then, he was gone.

Superman stayed there for a moment. Then he looked around. He saw all the death and suffering around him.

"This is wrong…" Superman scowled. He knew what he needed to do.

With a sonic boom, he was off to his next destination.

* * *

><p>(Play: Not Gonna Die by Skillet)<p>

Agent Z threw an incredibly powerful punch at Phantom's head. This punch could shatter steel like glass. This punch would send Superman reeling. This punch was something that would make Colossus proud.

Phantom caught it in his hand easily.

In response, Agent Z threw another punch. This one was caught just as easily. The agent then tried to kick the ghost, but Phantom's leg stop the blow before it could even get off the ground.

"Raw!" Agent Z struggled to move his arms. Phantom's grip held him, although his arms did tremble a little.

Quickly, the GIW agent activated the machine guns in his arms. Dozens of bullets was sent at Phantom's body. Each bullet bounced off the energy surrounding Phantom.

The white energy Phantom was emitting seemed to dance around him. It coated his skin and flared out protectively. In all, Phantom appeared to be surrounded by a white halo of ectoplasmic energy.

Slowly, Phantom began to overpower the Exoskeleton. The metal of the suit groaned as Agent Z was pushed back. Eventually, the agents was pushed to his knees. Despite this, the Exoskeleton still towered over the ghost.

Of course, this made Phantom's feat even more impressive.

Agent Z began to sweat as he Phantom began to crush the Exoskeleton's hands. The ghost's smaller hands seemed to indent the strong metal. The GIW agent tried to think of a way to get out of this situation, but he didn't really need to, because Phantom was done demonstrating his newly found strength.

At least in that way…

Crash! Phantom reversed his flow of strength and flipped the Exoskeleton over his head. Agent Z crashed into the ground. Then, Phantom did it again. There was a third crash…and a fourth. The Exoskeleton was being tossed around like a rag doll.

After a few more times, Phantom grew bored of this game. When the agent crashed into the ground for the final time, Phantom flung the agent away. He was sent tumbling down the street.

"You think that will beat me!?" Agent Z stood. The Exoskeleton appeared fine besides the few dents in the metal.

"**No, that was me humiliating you.**" Phantom explained. "**Now, I'll defeat you.**"

"As if!" Agent Z shouted. "Do you really think I didn't have a backup plan for you!?"

A crashing noise behind Phantom alerted the halfa to the presence of another threat. Two more Necromancers arrived. They were both in far-range attack mode.

"I brought five Necromancers with me!" Agent Z explained. "I brought one to the UN, while keeping the other four deactivated! I called for two to distract the Justice League, and these two will defeat you here and now!"

* * *

><p>Spirit had taken the reporters to a nearby roof. She made sure they were a safe distance while they could still see Phantom fighting.<p>

"How…he couldn't keep up a few minutes ago…" Cat Grant muttered.

Spirit was silent. She had no clue herself. Her brother always did have a way of pulling miracles out of nowhere, though.

"_Hello!"_ One of Scribe's windows appeared next to Spirit. In the window was Technus. He was grinning. "_This is Technus, master of all things technology! I am sorry to interrupt all the ghosts fighting, but after tapping into the GIW database, I found an interesting bit of live video that you might like to see! Luckily, the Ghost Writer is letting me use his windows powers to show you all this!"_

The window altered and showed a picture of Phantom fighting. Spirit recognized the picture. It was from her angle of the fight. It was coming for the camera man right next to her…

"Keep taping him." Spirit whispered as she stopped him from turning to the window. The ghosts needed to see this.

"How…" Cat Grant stared at the window.

"You're live right now, right?" Spirit whispered.

"Yes…" Cat nodded.

"Then Technus is using that live feed to send a message. Not just to me, but to all ghosts. That means both the humans and the ghosts will see this." Spirit turned to Phantom's fight.

"Why would he want that?" Cat questioned.

"Because it might just end this war…"

* * *

><p>Phantom had never felt so much power before. The energy of hundreds of ghosts was being filtered into his body. If Phantom had the time, he would be in awe about this feeling. He felt…invincible.<p>

Phantom instinctively knew. His muscles were stronger and harder. His bones became unbreakable. His energy was unstoppable. The power flowing through him was at a different level. It wasn't the power of a mortal being.

No…this was a power that should exist at a higher plane of existence, and Phantom would be lying if this didn't concern him a little. He remember his battle with Nocturne. The power of the ascended ectoplasm was not one to be taken lightly…

Especially when using it to fight against beings that Phantom would normally have problems combating.

None of the Necromancers' attacks did any damage. Each attack bounced off his white halo of ectoplasmic energy. Missiles were like pebbles to the halfa. Ecto-blasts were light breezes. The blades were like trying to stab Phantom with a pillow.

After a few moments, Phantom decided to counter attack. Before, Phantom had to use his strongest powers to damage the Necromancers. Now, however…

Phantom sidestepped a Necromancer's attack. He then brought his foot up to roundhouse kick the machine. The kick made contact and tore the Necromancer in halfa. His foot went through the metal like butter.

The other Necromancer lunged at Phantom. This time, Phantom didn't let it get close, however. He sent a wave of white ectoplasm at the machine. It was blasted to pieces in an instant. The only thing left was scraps of metal.

"What…" Agent Z stood in shock.

Phantom turned. He slowly began to approach the Exoskeleton. "**Let's end this.**"

The halfa felt a pull to attack the agent. He could feel the downside of using the deceased ghost's powers. The leftover wills of the ghosts were demanding to finish this fight. They wanted revenge for their deaths.

Phantom was willing to accommodate their desire.

"Like hell!" Agent Z unleashed every blast of power he could to defeat the ghost. Missiles, ecto-bullets, blasts of ectoplasm, and grenades were all sent to stop the halfa. They didn't even slow him down.

In desperation, Agent Z rushed at Phantom. He sent the most powerful punch he could at Phantom. Unfortunately, the punch never made contact.

Clank! The Exoskeleton's right arm fell to the ground. "What!?"

Phantom held an ice broadsword in his hands. His energy now had a light blue tint to it. Ice was forming all around the halfa. "**That's one arm…**"

Agent Z swung the other arm. Clank! "**And the other…**"

Phantom then swung the sword at the Exoskeleton's legs. Like before, the metal limbs were cut off from the body. Agent Z quickly fell back onto the ground.

"No!" Agent Z tried desperately to do something, but the Exoskeleton was now powerless.

Stabbing the sword into the ground, Phantom approached the downed enemy. "**It's over.**"

"Not by a long sh-"

Bam! Phantom's hand entered through the chest of the Exoskeleton. Agent Z could now see the glowing hand sticking inside the Exoskeleton.

Phantom then removed his fist. Grabbing the opening of the Exoskeleton, Phantom pulled. The hole grew until it was at the point where a body could fit through it.

"No!" Agent Z cried as Phantom grabbed him by his throat and pulled him out of the Exoskeleton.

Phantom then dragged the agent away from the destroyed suit. Lifting the agent into the air, Phantom's pure white eyes stared into the eyes of Agent Z. The agent shivered in fear. "**You lose.**"

The halfa raised his hand. A ball of white energy formed above him. It was ten meters in diameter.

Phantom turned to the broken Exoskeleton. This was his family's greatest invention. It could multiply someone's fighting strength by 100. It could make a regular man into super being. It could turn a meta-human into an untouchable foe.

The machine was far too dangerous. Imagine if it got into the hands of a powerful villain such as Black Atom or Klarion. The world would be doomed. Phantom decided then and there. The Exoskeleton had to be destroyed.

With a flick of his hand, Phantom sent the ball of energy into the scrap of metal that was once the Exoskeleton. When the energy faded, all that was left was a crater. The Exoskeleton was completely destroyed.

"Gah!" Agent Z desperately clawed at the hand holding him in the air and chocking him.

Phantom felt the emotions of hundreds of dead ghosts. They were all angry and calling for this man's blood. The last bit of will the ghosts had on the Earth were demanding that this man die.

"**What you've done is inexcusable…**" Phantom stated. "**You instigated a war. You slaughtered hundreds of souls. You killed one of my closest friends. You endangered my family, and you killed me.**"

Agent Z just whimpered pathetically.

"**You deserve death. I can hear the voices of the fallen. They all demand that you join them so they can show how much they appreciate you.**" Phantom noted. "**And I agree with them. I want to kill you.**"

Agent Z looked at him with pure terror in his eyes.

"**I have the power to do so. I am a giant deciding the fate of an ant. And this time…no one can interfere.**" Phantom explained. "**You're fate is my hand, and that's not a good thing for you.**"

What Phantom didn't know was that the whole world was watching him. Every ghost, human, and alien was watching and listening as he decided what to do with the GIW leader. Technus' interference allowed everyone to see Phantom's choice.

"**All this time, I haven't let one thing go. I've always hated the people who have done me and my family wrong.**" Phantom spoke. "**In the end, I've been bitter and hateful. But it all ends today because despite what anyone says or does, I…**"

Phantom dropped Agent Z. For a moment Agent Z was sure he was going to die. He looked up in horror as Phantom's white eyes glared into his.

Then, the white energy surrounding Phantom slowly began to fade. The energy turned green then disappeared. The pure white eyes changed too. Phantom's neon green eyes appeared instead.

The power that Phantom had used to defeat the Exoskeleton was completely gone. He allowed the feelings of anger and vengeance leave. For the first time, Phantom just let it all go. He was no longer angry.

"…forgive you."

* * *

><p>Colossus sighed. Looking down at the defeated Leaguers he said, "How am I supposed to be in the mood to fight after that?"<p>

Captain Atom looked up. He had only just regained consciousness. Just in time to stop Colossus from killing Green Lantern. That however, put him in harm's way.

Luckily, the window that appeared next to Colossus seemed to calm the giant down.

"This once…I'll just forget about my injured honor." Colossus turned. "Consider yourselves lucky humans."

* * *

><p>Vision sighed as looked away from the window. "That's it I suppose…"<p>

Scanning the area, she viewed all her soldiers and defeated enemies. "It is time to leave."

The ghosts immediately began to head back to the Ghost Zone.

"Wait…" Green Arrow struggled to his feet. Despite the loss of their most powerful weapons, he and Black Canary fought on, but they were badly defeated. "We're not done yet."

"We are…" Vision looked back at the window. "I no longer am in the mood for such foolishness."

* * *

><p>Pandora pulled her spear out of a Necromancer. "I suppose I should have explained myself better."<p>

"And I should have been more willing to listen…" Wonder Woman sighed as she turned away. "Pride is a hard thing to overcome."

"It is indeed." Pandora smiled. "But he did it, didn't he?"

"Yes he did…"

* * *

><p>"The coward ran…" Spectre glared at the hole in the ground.<p>

The Spectre and Captain Marvel had arrived in order to prevent Undergrowth from killing Hawkman, Hawkwoman, or any more GIW agents. As soon as they attacked, though, Undergrowth ran. He tunneled underground.

"Are you guys okay?" Captain Marvel helped his comrades up.

"We will live…" Hawkwoman groaned.

"Yes, but I don't think I ever want to eat my vegetables again…" Hawkman tried to joke.

"Nice try." Hawkwoman smirked at her husband. "You're not getting out of that."

"Damn."

"Are you going after Undergrowth?" Captain Marvel questioned the Spectre.

"I do not know if it my place." Spectre noted. "And even if it is, my job today is finished." He turned to Hawkwoman and Hawkman. "I apologize for Undergrowth. Not all ghosts are like that."

They looked at the window showing Phantom. "Obviously."

* * *

><p>"Tel lla eht stsohg og!" Zatara waved his wand around the area. All the ghosts were freed.<p>

"You're letting us go back home?" Dora questioned.

"Yes, I don't believe there will be any more ill will between our worlds." Zatara noted.

"That's true." Dora bowed to the man again. "Thank you again, Mr. Zatara. I owe you a great debt."

"Do not mention it, Miss Dora." Zatara waved her off. "It is all part of the job."

* * *

><p>"How many were lost?" Torch faced away from the fire monkey Bi as he approached.<p>

"More than half…" Bi let tears fall down his face. "And…and Smo most definitely was…"

"Torch understands." Torch noted. "Gather everyone and head home. Torch will join Torch's minions in a minute…"

"Yes, Master Torch." Bi nodded and flied off sadly.

"Why did you face away from your soldier? Shouldn't you look strong in front of them?" Red Tornado questioned.

"That's why Torch couldn't let them see Torch's face…" Torch sobbed. "A general must not cry in front of his men…"

Red Tornado was silent.

* * *

><p>"You are freeing me?" Aquaman questioned.<p>

"Yes, the Great One has spoken. This war is over." Frostbite melted the ice holding Aquaman.

"Great One?" Aquaman. "I thought you were the leader?"

"Leader? No, I'm merely a tamed beast." Frostbite noted. "A true leader inspires his followers by acting. And that has already been done."

* * *

><p>"So I guess that's it huh?" Flash smiled.<p>

The Fright Knight continued to stare into the window. "Not just yet…"

"What's left then?" Flash questioned.

Fright Knight punched Flash in the face.

"Gah!"

"That was for annoying the Hades out of me."

"Uhg…" Flash groaned. "Fair enough…"

* * *

><p>"Well, the curtain has fallen." Plasmius noted as he floated to the portal.<p>

"That it has…" Batman nodded as he handcuffed the various unconscious GIW agents.

"It was fun while it lasted, Batman." Plasmius smirked. "But perhaps next time we can meet under less stressful circumstances."

"Hmm…" Batman glared at him. "I would prefer if you don't come back to Gotham. Ever."

Plasmius laughed at that. "I thought as much."

* * *

><p>"Forgive me?" Agent Z muttered as Phantom walked away. "You…forgive me…"<p>

Phantom ignored him and continued to walk towards Spirit. She had taken the reporters and landed down the street. She ran up to Phantom and hugged him. He returned the hug.

"You can't forgive me!" Agent Z shouted at he stood up. "I didn't do anything that needs forgiveness! I purged the world of filth!"

Phantom didn't react to the crazed agent. "Let's go. You have the Infimap, right?"

"Yes." Spirit nodded.

"Good." Phantom sighed. "We'll get out of sight, then use it, okay?"

"Okay…are you alright?" Spirit questioned.

"Yeah…I think I'm better than I have been in a long time." Phantom held his sister and began to fly away.

"Hey!" Agent Z shrieked.

Phantom stopped, but didn't turn.

"Were not done here!" Agent Z exclaimed.

"Yes…" Phantom stated. "We are."

"Like hell!" Agent Z pulled out a hidden ecto-pistol. "It's not over until you're dead-Ah!"

The ecto-pistol melted in the agent's hands.

"NO!" Superman glared down at the agent. "Phantom's right! This madness is over!"

"You can't-Mmh!" A green light covered Agent Z's mouth and limbs. He could no longer move or speak.

"Yes, he can." Green Lantern glared at the agent as he and Martian Manhunter flew towards them.

"You guys alright?" Superman asked his comrades.

"The Necromancers delayed us." Martian Manhuntter looked exhausted. The fire and Necromancer did a number on him.

"We would have been faster if those blasted machines didn't collapse three buildings. We had to evacuate everyone." Green Lantern explained.

Phantom had heard enough. "Let's go, Spirit."

"Hey, Danny." Superman approached them.

"Yes…" Phantom gave him a tired look.

"I'm sorry." Superman apologized. "I should have been able to prevent this. I was investigating the GIW, but I never…"

"It's okay." Phantom nodded. "I never would have thought this would happen either."

"What are going to do now?" Superman questioned. "After everything that happened today…"

"First, I'm going home. Then, I'll figure out the rest." Phantom stated. "I'm too tired to care right now."

Spirit looked up at her brother. He did indeed look exhausted.

Nodding, Superman left with a goodbye. There was a lot of cleanup to do.

"Is it okay to leave like this?" Spirit questioned after they were a good distance away. "We caused a lot of trouble."

"It's fine. We'll have a lot of work to do tomorrow. For now, let's enjoy the victory." Phantom explained.

"Right…." Spirit pulled out the map. "Ready?"

"Yeah…" He grabbed the map.

Spirit nodded. "Alright, take us home…"

* * *

><p><em>It was amazing how one act of kindness and mercy influenced so many people. Danny wasn't aware that people were watching, yet he refused to stoop to Agent Z's level. He forgave the person who cause him unthinkable amounts of pain and suffering. That was not something many people would do.<em>

_In the years to come, I would learn just how much that act changed people. In an instant, Danny was pushed into the spotlight. He was now an icon for the next generation._

_The future warriors of Earth would look to him as a standard and goal. Danny Phantom may be young, but he could stand with the big leagues. He could take on the world, survive unbeatable odds, and come out on top. How could people not admire that?_

_That includes myself, of course, but I would never tell him that._

_I never asked what happened that day. I didn't need to ask. He told me about it not long after we left New York that day. To think…my brother had a connection to death…I guess that's why he was always such a kill joy._

_But in all honesty, I wasn't really all that surprised. Danny had pulled off some amazing feats. Coming back to life by using the energy of an army of dead ghosts…Okay, that was near the top, but I still wasn't as shocked as I should have been._

_A lot happened in the month that followed the GIW War. A lot was changed, and the stage was set for trials that would make the war look easy. But, in that month we didn't care. We were all just grateful to be alive._

_Yes, with the war over, many people and ghosts evaluated where they were in life and where they were going. I suppose that's why there was so much change. Of course, I wasn't that excited by the change. That was pretty obvious, but it grew on me…eventually._

_After everything, I do think that the change was for the best. And that change was all possible because of a single act of mercy. Pretty amazing, huh?_

_-From the personal memoirs of Danielle Masters_

* * *

><p><strong>Yep. My muse worked double time for this chapter. I actually finished it in less than a week. I don't know if it the spirit of Christmas, my out of college free time, all the urging I received to finish this chapter, or the fact that I'm going to be busy all week next week, but I did it. It probably will never happen again...<strong>

**On a side not...Telltale's Walking Dead Season 2 Episode 1 is out! I felt like crying when it came out. Clementine! Is it bad that I have such an emotional attachment to a fictional character? But if it is, I don't care!**

**Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! The next chapter will be out in January. See you next year.**

**Thank you all for reading and please remember to...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	22. Purpose

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"_Thinking of you, wherever you are._

_We pray for our sorrows to end, and hope that our hearts will blend._

_Now I will step forward to realize this wish._

_And who knows:_

_starting a new journey may not be so hard,_

_or maybe it has already begun._

_There are many worlds, but they share the same sky —_

_one sky, one destiny._"

_Kairi (Kingdom Hearts 2)_

* * *

><p>Chapter 22: "Purpose"<p>

(The musical theme of this chapter is: Shake It Out by Florence + The Machine)

(Friday-May 28, 2010)

The first order of business was to count the dead. It was a depressing job, but it had to be done. Dani was just glad that it wasn't her that had to do it.

The numbers were staggering, however. Dani didn't even want to think about it. Hundreds of ghosts were gone. So many purposes were lost. So many obsessions were never fulfilled.

Dani did not know what the final count was. She didn't want to know either. Thinking about such things…left a bad taste in her mouth. It was a terrible, numbing taste that caused Dani to remember things she wished had never happened.

The younger halfa knew it had happened though, and so had Danny. That was why the male halfa was in charge of checking the list of the deceased.

Apparently, his…revival had come because of the energy of the deceased ghosts. Because of this, Danny instantly knew who was gone and who wasn't. He seemed rather troubled by this. In a way, he felt them die.

Dani did not envy her brother at all in that aspect…

After everyone was accounted for and all the damage was assessed, the S-rank ghosts decided to construct a monument. Each name of the deceased ghosts were placed on the giant monument. The black stone stood tall and wide. Hundreds of names were written in white across the front of the monument.

Thus, why they were all here today.

What was left of the Ghost Zone populace was standing around the monument. It had been placed on a desolate island near the center of the Ghost Zone. It agreed by everyone that before the rebuilding process that there should be a time of mourning. Today was a day to reflect on what had occurred merely a few days ago.

Spirit stood by her father. He wasn't very injured, but he looked solemn and dismal. The older halfa knew how bad the circumstances had become in some Sectors. His encounter with the League had proven beneficial, but…

The majority of the other Sectors had not been as beneficial. No, the League had stood in the way. In the end, they might have let the ghosts leave, but everyone knew. Everyone was aware.

The Justice League stood against the ghosts.

Spirit didn't blame the ghosts for being uneasy. Almost every Justice League member could take on an S-rank ghost under normal circumstances. Not only that, the League outnumbered the number of S-rank ghosts. If they ever attacked or turned against the ghosts…

No. Now was not the time to think about that.

Spirit looked around. Very few ghosts got through the battle without some kind of injury. Each S-rank ghost had his or her share of injuries, but they got off lightly. The weaker ghosts received the worst of the injuries. Almost everyone would be scared both physically and mentally.

From the crowd, Spirit saw many familiar faces. Technus would have several scars on his torso. Johnny 13 would be in a wheelchair for a while. The Box Ghost…the Box Ghost, who was standing by the Lunch Lady, had…lost his right hand.

Spirit looked away. She considered herself fortunate. At least no one would be able to see her scars…

"…And to finish this memorial…" Vision stood in front of the sea of ghosts. Instead of her normal purple clothing, she was now glad completely in black like the rest of the ghosts. "Danny Phantom would like to speak."

Phantom walked in front of the large sea of ghosts. Spirit was surprised by how he looked. She expected him to appear passionate, angry, sad…or at least something. No, he was the opposite really. He appeared almost numb. Phantom showed no emotion at all.

Spirit could see Phantom's eyes scan the crowd. His eyes landed on a few notable ghosts, but did not stop. He even looked at her, but that didn't last long. There was a lot to take in.

"Going into this war…this hell," Phantom began. "I knew that it wouldn't be easy. We prepared. We planned. We did everything possible to ensure that the many would live even if the few perished. Usually at this time, I would quote someone famous, but I think it would be best to speak from the heart."

Phantom took a deep breath. "In life and even after it, we all have regrets. Things we did, and things we didn't do. I can't help feeling regret. I keep wondering if I could have done something different. Is there anything that could have been done to prevent it? I really don't think so, but that doesn't stop the regrets.

"Regret isn't something that can be reasoned or argued. It is a feeling. As ghosts, we all have regrets. We all have things we wish we did before we died. And now…now we all have more regrets. After this war, we all have things that we wished we said to the people lost…Things we wish we did with the people who were dear to us.

"Despite what anyone says, that regret won't fade immediately, and it shouldn't. We need to remember what we've lost, what we forgot to do, what our dreams our…what our obsessions really mean." Phantom turned and looked at the giant memorial for a moment. Then he turned again.

"Nothing good has come from this war. We all know that it was necessary, but that doesn't change anything. We all have our regrets. I'm here today to tell you not to forsake these regrets. Embrace them. Follow them. They will tell you what you really want. They will show you where your happiness lies, and how to obtain it.

"During the fight, I…almost died." Phantom spoke. "I heard what the ghosts we lost were thinking. There were so many things they wanted to do. So much left to live for. This memorial will forever tell of their sacrifice. We should always remember that they sacrificed their obsession for the greater good."

Phantom took a long look across the crowd. "Don't let that sacrifice go to waste. Remember what your obsessions really are. Remember why you refused to move on, because this is our last chance. And I, for one, don't want any more lost obsessions…."

No one spoke. No one clapped. There was complete silence as Phantom walked away.

Then the dam broke.

The crowd roared. People cheered. Ghosts cried. Vows were made. Proposals were asked. Suddenly, everyone had the urge to live their afterlife to its fullest.

The Great Change had begun…

* * *

><p>(Monday-May 31, 2010)<p>

"Everyone else has already left, you know…" Ember noted.

"I know." Danny nodded.

After dealing with the immediate problems in the Ghost Zone, the halfas had to return to the human world. Fortunately, the humans all thought that they had been in Wisconsin. No one questioned their return after the Justice League had arrested all the GIW agents in Amity Park.

The city was still recovering from the GIW's takeover. People were still paranoid and fearful. They had lost their freedom for some time. In the eyes of the people of Amity Park, they were alone. They were separate from the rest of the world. No one had tried to help them in the time of need except for the heroes of Amity Park.

Danny was thankful for that continued trust. He didn't want to go back to square one. The halfa had went through a lot of trouble building up his reputation in Amity Park. Of course, that was only for his ghost half. Danny was completely unaware how the people would react to their disappearance. But considering that the GIW completely occupied their house, Danny didn't think there would be too much hostilities.

Luckily, not much of the mansion was destroyed. The lab was completely gone, but Danny had done that personally. Everything else was still intact, messy, but intact. It didn't take much to get the important things cleaned up.

Despite having the monument and memorial service to all the ghosts, the halfas decided to have a personal service to personal friends and rivals that had passed because of this conflict.

In what used to be an unused room, there were now three stones. Three simple words were on each stone. Vortex, Skulker, and Klemper. Vlad was surprised to see that Danny had the two stones made for enemies in the same room as Klemper's stone, but Danny said it was about respect, not to mention that Vortex's grave in the yard had been destroyed by the GIW's vehicles.

Thus, the halfas and their close friends came to show their respects. It was a short service. Not much was said. It was merely a few minutes of quiet reflection. They all just stood and watched the stones.

_Vortex: The perfect storm_

_Skulker: The Ghost Zone's greatest hunter_

_Klemper: A true friend_

Eventually, the others had begun to leave. Wulf returned to the Ghost Zone. Dani went to bed with Cujo. Vlad had work to do. Even Valerie, who looked like she wanted to say something, left without a word. That left only Danny and Ember.

"So…there's one for Skulker too?" Ember questioned. It was rather weird seeing Danny mourn the loss of his most tenacious enemy.

"Yeah." Danny nodded. "Say what you want about him, but Skulker deserved some respect. He could have easily taken hostages from the city to kill me, but he didn't. He was usually careful about that. The fight was between us, not the civilians."

"When we first fought…I was just prey. Later it changed." Danny sighed. "We grew to respect each other. We pushed each other. We made each other stronger."

"He was always coming up with new ways to capture you." Ember smiled a little.

"He almost succeeded too…" Danny smiled for a brief moment. "It may seem weird, but I'm going to miss him. He was not an enemy. He was a rival."

"He was trying to kill you." Ember noted.

"Who hasn't tried to kill me?" Danny chuckled. "I remember a time when you were trying to roast me alive."

"Fair point." Ember conceded. "And…what about…."

Danny knew who she was talking about. "Klemper is one of the few ghosts that moved on willingly. But he did die because of this war. He was the second casualty after Vortex. I'm sad that he's gone, but…"

Danny knelt by the stone with Klemper's name. "He completed his obsession. That is a lot more than can be said for the others. I will always miss him, but I know that he's in a better place now. He's happy and content, and that's enough for me."

"Big sap…" Ember smirked.

"I guess I am." Danny stood.

Ember stared at Danny for a moment. "You won't be leaving for a while will you?"

"No." Danny shook his head. "I'm going to stay a while longer."

"Then…" Ember stood by Danny. "I'll be here to, Babypop. Just don't get too teary-eyed, alright?"

"Don't worry." Danny noted. "That faze has passed."

"Yeah…" Ember leaned against Danny. "You do realize that we are dating now."

"Figured as much." Danny stated. He gently took her hand in his.

"Good. Once things calm down, I expect you to take me some place classy." Ember ordered. "We already had sex, but that doesn't mean you can get away with not treating me like a lady."

"I've seen you eat." Danny commented. "That is not how a fancy lady eats."

"Shut up, Babypop," Ember glared.

"Yes ma'am."

* * *

><p>(Saturday-June 5, 2010)<p>

"Phantom…" Batman approached the halfa in the halls of the UN building.

"Batman." Phantom nodded towards the Dark Knight.

"I heard about this meeting." Batman noted. "I thought you would be in the chamber discussing terms."

"Not a politician." Phantom explained. "My presence is more of a calming factor than anything else. I will make sure that there isn't too much friction."

"Then the leaders of the Ghost Zone are inside right now." Batman deduced.

"Yeah…" Phantom looked towards the door. "I don't need to be in there for this. Vision and Scribe can handle the written work and details."

Batman made a mental note of the name Scribe. "I assume that they are talking about any further incidents."

"Yeah." Phantom nodded. "But I doubt there will be any more worldwide attacks for a while. Not many like Nocturne or Vortex left out there anymore…"

"A while, huh?" Batman questioned.

"I can't give any promises." Phantom sighed. "In fact…there are some things I need to tell you."

"Is it about Red X?" Batman whispered.

Phantom snorted. "If you want to know where he is, you're barking up the wrong tree. That was a onetime thing. Hopefully, at least. Anything else, you probably know more than I do."

"Then what is it?" Batman asked.

Phantom pulled a piece of paper out of his coat. "This is a list of all unaccounted ghosts."

Batman looked at the list. "This isn't good…"

"No, it's not." Phantom noted. "We don't know where they are, but they aren't dead. That much I know."

"Six ghosts…" Batman sighed.

"We're looking as well." Phantom explained. "Vision has both the Ghost Zone and the Human world covered. If they make any kind of move to hurt anyone, she will know."

"And this Vision…" Batman frowned. "Green Arrow and Black Canary told me that she's dangerous."

"That she is, but I would trust her with my life." Phantom stated. "But I doubt you do…"

"Did she tell you?" Batman glared.

"She says that she knows. She even offered to tell me everything. I declined." Phantom looked the Dark Knight right in his eyes. "I respect the League's privacy."

Batman examined him for a moment. Phantom wasn't lying. "Alright then, but what about her? What will stop her from revealing the League's secrets?"

"You will." Phantom smiled. "If you don't attack, she won't say a word. Vision's crafty like that."

"Blackmail…" Batman sighed.

"She called it leverage, but yeah." Phantom nodded. "If you want full details, talk to her. I'm sure she'd be happy to come up with a deal."

"You ghosts keep becoming more and more dangerous." Batman stated. "I consider the war to be a loss. The League cannot beat the S-rank ghosts."

"I'm sure you'll come up with a plan just in case." Phantom noted. "You do have data on all our powers after all."

Batman nodded. "Yes, I have footage on the whole war. I have watched everything multiple times. Especially your fight."

"Ah…" Phantom leaned against the wall and looked up. "That. I can easily explain the power jump."

"I already know how you did that." Batman explained. "I read the power readings during the world. I know you absorbed the power released by the dying ghosts."

"Then there shouldn't be any questions." Phantom frowned.

"No, there is one thing I wanted to know." Batman's voice was completely neutral. "How did you do it? How did you just let it go?"

Phantom raised an eyebrow. That was a rather personal question. "How did I forgive him? Well…I didn't do it for him. I did it for me. He didn't deserve forgiveness, but I wasn't going to carry that burden. Not anymore. I just wanted peace in the matter."

For a second, Phantom thought that he saw a bit of a smile on the face of the Batman, but it was gone in an instant. The Batman began to walk to the chambers. "I see…and here I thought ghosts don't let anything go…"

"Usually, they don't." Phantom smirked. "But I'm far from an ordinary ghost."

* * *

><p>(Sunday-June 6, 2010)<p>

"The terms of the agreement have been set." Vision stated to the council of the elite who were all in the meeting hall of her home. "There will no longer be any conflict. We just need to be careful about how we interact with the human world."

"Interact how?" Spectre questioned. "Some of us live there."

"As long as you don't make your presence known too much, there won't be a problem." The Ghost Writer noted.

"So, we're just separating ourselves?" Frostbite asked.

"Yes…" Vision sighed.

"Psh! That means no more fighting the humans, right?" Colossus frowned. "That's no fun!"

"Sounds fair enough to me." Fright Knight commented. "I tire of the humans."

"What about us?" Plasmius asked. "Amity Park is our home. And my wards are rather…liberal with their use of powers."

"It won't be completely isolation and separation." Phantom explained. "It's not like we have to stay in the Ghost Zone. We just aren't allowed to cause chaos and destruction if we do, we'll be tried as regular humans would be."

"That seems fair." Pandora noted. She seemed to be deep in thought.

"Torch has no need to go to the human world…" Torch mumbled. "This does not matter to Torch…"

"Yes, after what has happened, not many ghosts want to return to the human world, but these six…" Images of the six different ghosts appeared above their heads thanks to Vision's birds. "They will be a problem."

Plasmius frowned at the images. "Penelope Spectra, Bertrand, Aragon, Walker, Nocturne, and Undergrowth."

"These six have disappeared." Vision noted.

"How do we know they're not dead?" Pandora questioned.

"Trust me, I would know if they're dead." Phantom stated.

"They could all cause problems." The Ghost Writer mentioned.

"Yes…" Frostbite growled a little. "Nocturne and Undergrowth could prove to be great nuisances. Their work can be devastating."

"Torch guesses that Undergrowth is off the council?" Torch questioned.

"Yes." Vision nodded.

"What of the others?" Spectre questioned.

"Yes, the dragon and misery ghosts can't possibly be a large threat." Colossus mentioned. "They're not strong enough to cause too much damage."

"Any damage at all could be catastrophic." Pandora noted. "Relations with the humans is uneasy as it is."

"I informed the Justice League about them." Phantom caught everyone's attention. "They're actions won't be a reflection on us. I made sure they know that these ghosts are a nuisance."

"There is also the issue of the one known as…Freakshow?" Scribe mentioned. "He apparently escaped from GIW custody with a dangerous item during the war."

"A human? Is he really our problem?" Fright Knight questioned.

"His actions won't reflect us directly, but he is an expert on ghosts." Plasmius commented. "He might prove to be a problem to us. Especially if he finds a new way to control ghosts."

"Um…" Dora who had been quite for some time spoke up. She appeared uncomfortable being in this meeting because she wasn't an S-rank ghost. "May I point something out?"

"Of course, child!" Frostbite smiled at the queen. "You are now a part of this council as well."

Yes, it was agreed that Dora should be part of the council. She might not have the strength, but her leadership skills were great and well respected. Everyone agreed to let her join, but she didn't appear confident in her placement. She was the only one to lose to a Justice League member after all. Considering that her opponent was a magic user, no one said anything, but the problem still hung in the air.

"It should be noted that each of these ghosts and human have a large grudge against Danny Phantom." Dora stated. "There is a good chance that they will attack Amity Park."

"Fair point." Plasmius nodded. "Daniel and I will be there, though. If any one of them attacks, we'll be prepared. Especially if it's Nocturne. We've made sure that he won't be able to get into our town unnoticed."

"What if they work together?" Scribe questioned.

"Undergrowth? Cooperating with these ghosts?" Torch snorted. "Torch don't believes that would happen."

"My brother isn't a people person…" Dora commented.

"Exactly, beautiful!" Torch grinned at Dora.

"Nocturne won't work with Spectra and Bertrand either." Plasmius explained. "They draw their powers from completely different sources. Misery in dreams would cause nightmares, and that wouldn't be beneficial to Nocturne."

"The wild card is Walker." Pandora noted. "After our takeover of his prison, predicting what he will do is impossible."

"Not to mention Freakshow." The Ghost Writer stated. "He could be anywhere in the human world."

"Both the Ghost Zone and the human world are watching for them. When they show up, they'll be captured." Vision explained. "But the problem now lies in our lack of a justice system. Walker brought some order to the Ghost Zone, now…"

"Actually," Phantom spoke up. "I had an idea about that…"

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-June 8, 2010)<p>

"Torch loves this plan!" Torch yelled as he stood on the roof of the prison.

"It is hard to believe that you want Torch to run this prison." Pandora noted as she and Phantom walked through the courtyard.

"Truth be told, I think it will help keep his mind off his lost people." Phantom noted.

"Ah, you care for him." Pandora smiled.

"Meh…" Phantom shrugged. "I don't like seeing Torch be all mopey."

"That's your job, right?" Pandora chuckled.

"I am not mopey." Phantom frowned.

"Are to." Pandora eyed the halfa.

"…Just a little bit…"

A column of fire appeared several meters in front of them. Out of the flames stood Torch. With a wave of his hands, the fire disappeared. "Torch can't wait to redecorate this place! It shall fit the magnificence of Torch!"

"Don't go overboard." Phantom mentioned. "This is supposed to hold those who break the new rules."

"Ones that I, my servants, and some of Walkers guards will enforce." Pandora seemed pleased by this. "I will make our police force just."

"Good." Phantom looked around at Torch's minions as they worked on the prison. "Do you…have enough people?"

Torch paused then said. "The…rest of Torch's old minions and new minions will be enough. Some of Walker's guards have taken a liking to Torch's ways. Torch's forces will be enough. Hopefully, they won't be that necessary."

"We still have time before anything happens." Pandora noted. "The wounds of the people are still great. It is best to be prepared, though."

"Yeah…" Phantom nodded. "Any news from the Observants? They always seem to want a say after the war."

"They appear pleased with the plan so far." Pandora noted. "It will be good to have supervisors. They will keep everyone honest."

"Supervisors…" Torch laughed. "Torch believes that the Observants will enjoy that role."

After an hour of examining the prison, Phantom left. He had other things to do and people to help. There was a construction project that needed to be started soon.

"Phantom!" Pandora stopped Phantom as he was leaving. "I wish to speak with you."

"What about?" Phantom questioned.

"I have a favor." Pandora explained. "Something that you can help with."

"Sure. what is it?"

"It's about Nyx…"

* * *

><p>(Thursday-June 10, 2010)<p>

"Why are you here?" Dani frowned as she watched her rival approach her and Rachel.

Nyx smiled. "My mom said that I could come out to play."

"And play means…What?" Dani's eyes narrowed.

"I can't go nuts if that's what you're asking." Nyx rolled her eyes.

"And you are…" Rachel eyed the girl in front of her.

Nyx was wearing a disguise belt. Her skin was deeply tanned instead of blue. Her purple hair and eyes now appeared brown. Her normal armor was replaced by a simple white blouse. "Nyx. I'm sure the Girlscout told you all about me."

"Never heard of you." Rachel deadpanned.

"What!?" Nyx was furious. "How could you not talk about me?!"

"I try to forget about you." Dani explained. "But you're making it hard by being here and looking like…"

"A human?" Rachel suggested.

"Er…" Dani deflated.

"I thought you never talk about me?" Nyx questioned.

"I don't, but Rachel is rather…observant." Dani shrugged.

"I know everything." Rachel stated.

"Oh?" Nyx raised an eyebrow. "So you know that I could destroy you."

"You could try, but you would fail." Rachel mentioned. "I am no normal human."

"Hmm…" Nyx smiled. "I like you, Grumpy!"

"Grumpy?" Rachel did not like being compared to a dwarf.

"Why are you here, Nyx?" Dani questioned.

"Mom says I can come to Amity Park now, as long as I don't break stuff. She has servants watching me, but besides that, I'm free." Nyx smugly explained. "She said that Amity Park would be a safe place."

"Alright…" Dani frowned. "Why do I get the feeling that there's more?"

"There is." Nyx smiled devilishly. "I'm going to school here in the fall!"

"What!?" Dani felt lightheaded and pale.

Nyx pulled out a camera and took a picture. "I knew you would make that face! Ha! This is a keeper!"

"How is you going to human school going to work?" Rachel questioned.

"Mom has friends that helped." Nyx explained. "Now! Where we going?"

"Dani was dragging me to the mall to hand out." Rachel sighed.

"Sounds great! Dani's loaded, so she can buy us stuff, and he can carry it all for us!" Nyx smiled.

"He?"

"That would be me." A boy approached them. He had a similar belt to Nyx. His hair was blond and his eyes were blue. He was dressed completely in a tuxedo. "Names Blood. Youngblood. And I prefer my drinks shaken, not twirled."

"Stirred. You mean stirred." A voice from Youngblood's watch called out. It appeared to be made of bones and had a skeleton on the front. The mouth moved when the voice called out.

"Oh? Ok!" Youngblood smiled.

"Come on!" Nyx rushed ahead of everyone else. "I'm getting bored standing around."

"Now wait a minute!" Dani rushed towards her rival. "I'm the one leading here!"

"Are not!"

"Am too!"

"Are not!"

"Am too times infinity!"

"…Darn…"

Rachel sighed as she followed her friend and new companions. She turned to Youngblood and noted. "It's always going to be like this from now on, isn't it?"

"Oh, completely."

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-June 16, 2010)<p>

For the first time in weeks, Spirit had received a bit of really good news. She and Phantom were going to make the official heroes of Amity Park. They were even having an event.

Spirit had to practically drag Phantom to the ceremony, though. Her brother didn't particularly want to be up in front of everyone, but Spirit wouldn't have it. They…Danny deserved a little recognition after everything that happened.

The ceremony was in front of city hall. Spirit and Phantom stood on a stage as the mayor spoke to the crowd. Everyone seemed really excited. After everything that happened, the city of Amity Park needed some good news, and declaring Phantom and Spirit their protectors seemed to be it.

Earlier, Dani's brother explained that this ceremony didn't matter. He would protect his home no matter what. He had been considered a villain once and that didn't stop him. But…he did note that the acceptance was nice, so he decided showing up and cheering up the people of Amity Park wouldn't hurt.

"…And now I will open the floor to the official protectors of Amity Park, Danny Phantom and Spirit!" The mayor announced.

Spirit decided to go first and floated up to the podium. She spoke into the microphone. "People of Amity Park! As your official protector, I will work to uphold the honor of the hero's creed!...What?"

Phantom whispered in her ear.

"There's no hero's creed? What about the Green Lantern thing?"

Another round of whispering.

"Oh, right. Don't have the ring…Then I will now promise that I will not only create a hero's creed, and I will always uphold it!" Spirit grinned as the crowd cheered.

"No matter what the circumstances, we will be here to protect the city! As long as we are here, you will be safe from all threats! We are the heroes of Amity Park, and we will not rest until everyone here is safe…" Spirit began to look through her coat for a piece of paper. "That's good. I need to write that down…"

Phantom whispered in her ear.

"Ah…I've been informed that I don't carry around any paper… I'll make a mental note then." Spirit waved to the crowd.

"But in all seriousness," Spirit's eyes became serious. "I want to thank you for the trust you put in us. We won't let you down."

Phantom quickly took her spot. "Spirit basically covered it all, but I will add this. You all stood by us in our time of need. We won't forget that. No matter what happens, my family and I will protect this city. Nothing will stop us."

The crowd went wild.

Spirit quickly interjected. "Side note! A statue would be nice!"

Phantom whacked her on the side of the head.

"Ow!"

"No statue."

"Kill joy…"

* * *

><p>(Friday-June 18, 2010)<p>

Today was a really weird day. That was what Dani decided. It was a really, really weird day.

"…Why is Technus here?" Dani asked earlier today.

"Because he's now part of Fenton Works." Danny answered as he showed the technology ghost his current projects in the newly rebuilt lab.

"…Why?" Dani questioned.

"With me being the peacekeeper between our worlds, I'll be busy. But with Fenton Works product being out, I need to keep developing." Danny explained. "Vlad even mentioned that he might use his ownership of Axion Labs to move major operations over there."

"Uh…" Dani muttered.

"Until then we shall be working here!" Technus smiled. "Much work needs to be done!"

"Yeah." Danny frowned. "I had to destroy a lot of my old projects when the GIW took over the lab."

Later…

"What are guys doing here?" Dani watched as Wulf and Ember carried bags into the mansion.

"(Friend offered to let us set up spare rooms in case of emergency)" Wulf answered.

"What?" Dani questioned.

"We're moving in, Squirt." Ember smiled.

"I…um…aren't you and Danny…you know?" Dani was confused.

"Yes." Ember smirked.

"Does Dad know about this?' Dani asked weakly.

"He said he didn't care. I'm setting up my room at the furthest room away from Danny's room anyway. Nothing will happen." Ember waved her off. "Besides, my room is just in case of emergencies. Most of the time, I'll stay in the Ghost Zone."

"(Until you sneak into his room in the middle of the night)" Wulf snorted.

Despite not completely understanding, Ember knew the mischievous look on Wulf's face. "Don't judge me, furball!"

"(I'm not judging)" Wulf laughed. "(Just pointing out all the hormones around you two. All you ever do is…)…Suck face!"

"Suck face?" Ember glared at the wolf ghost. "Well…fair enough."

Dani watched them go. "Okay…"

Now…

"Dad," Dani approached her father. "Can I talk to you?"

"Sure!" Vlad smiled. He was in the living room. For some reason, he was fixing his tie. In fact…he looked both nervous and excited. "What is it, Little Badger?"

"Ember and Wulf kind of moved in." Dani mentioned. "I understand Wulf. He stays here a lot anyway, but Ember is Danny's girlfriend."

"Yes, Danny discussed it with me." Vlad was trying to remove imaginary wrinkles from his suit. "If he wants her closer, that's fine. After Klemper's death and the war, he just wants to keep his loved ones close. Besides, she won't be staying in the mansion unless of an emergency."

"Aren't you worried that they'll...er, what's the best word for it…" Dani stated. "Go at it like wild animals?"

"Dani!" Vlad's eyes widened. "Where did you here that?"

"Please, it's 2010. The internet, television, and movies have totally cleared up the babies thing." Dani nodded.

"Er…Well, for ghosts, having babies is a bit different…" Vlad was obviously uncomfortable with this. "This is especially true with half-ghosts…You see, our genetic distinction-"

"Okay! Okay! I get it!" Dani blanched. "It's different for halfa's. I get that. But they are teenagers. Doesn't this arrangement bother you?"

"Danny can make his own choices." Vlad shrugged. "Ember will most likely sneak in the house anyway."

"Okay, but when I'm older…" Dani mentioned.

"I'll kill the boy and ground you for the rest of your life." Vlad noted seriously.

"Wow, nice double standard." Dani muttered.

"The difference is that you're my child and he's not." Vlad explained.

"Well…It doesn't matter now," Dani shrugged. "But the sexism here is insulting."

"Forgive him, child," Vision's voice caught Dani's attention. "A father is meant to protect his daughter. He does not mean offense."

"Yeah, I get…that…" Dani was shocked by Vision's appearance. She was dressed in an elegant purple dress. The dress showed off her soft curves and amble assets, yet at the same was fairly conservative by covering her chest and most of her legs. Her long blond hair fell down her tanned shoulders and back. "Um…why are you…"

"We are going out, Danielle." Vlad patted her on the head. "We'll be back later tonight."

"…huh?" Dani raised an eyebrow.

"I heard that Phantom and the siren ghost were going out as well. Are you leaving Spirit alone?" Vision questioned.

"No, Wulf said that he would babysit." Vlad explained.

"Babysit!?" Dani shouted.

"That's good." Vision and Vlad began to walk out the front door.

"…" Dani watched them go.

"Hey…" Wulf waved as he entered the room. He plopped down on the couch. Cujo quickly joined him. "Play? TV? Sleep?"

"…What…" Dani stared at the door. "What just happened?"

It was a weird day indeed.

* * *

><p>(Monday-June 21, 2010)<p>

"Ah!" Colossus smiled. "Home sweet home!"

In order to get Colossus out of the wa-…er…help Colossus, it had been decided that his home should be rebuilt. In fact, it was almost a unanimous decision by everyone. Colossus couldn't just wander the human world anymore. He caused a little bit too much attention and destruction. Neither of which they needed right now.

"It looks just like it was too!" Colossus grinned.

The building was surrounded by giant pillars with engravings. A giant stone roof was held up by the pillars. Inside the building were simple furniture. Several engravings were spread across the room. Phantom didn't know what they meant, by he was sure they were important.

"It should be…" The Ghost Writer sighed. "I used the Tomb of the Ancients as the plans for the building."

"Yeah!" Colossus cheered as he went up to examine the building.

"Tome of the Ancients?" Phantom questioned Scribe.

"I originally created it to archive all the history of our world." Scribe explained. "Since then, it has updated itself. If there is a bit of history you want to know, all you need to do is look in the book."

"It's quiet fascinating!" Poindexter exclaimed as he read the text. "This has the exact details of Colossus' home!"

"Yes, it is indeed." Scribe smiled at his new apprentice.

"I'm glad the project is over." Frostbite sighed. "My people and I were getting quite exhausted of rebuilding this under your perfectionist ways."

"Best to get this done right." The Ghost Writer frowned. "If not, then Colossus' snoring would sent the building crashing…"

"You two really want Colossus to go back to sleep, huh?" Phantom smirked.

"He is our friend, but he can be so…" Frostbite began.

"Annoying." Scribe finished.

"Yeah…"

"Hahahahahahahaha!" Colossus flew back to them. "This will do! After all the fighting of the war and work in the Ghost Zone, I could use a nap!"

"Goodnight, Colossus," The Ghost Writer stated. "And with that, off to the next job."

"Have a nice sleep, my friend." Frostbite grinned.

With that, the Ghost Writer, Frostbite, and the rest of the ghost left. Phantom, however, stayed. "So, that's it, huh? You're going back to sleep?"

"Yes." Colossus nodded. "Without conflict, I have no need to be awake. Besides, I'm old. I can't use too much power before I need rest."

"Old?" Phantom was amused.

"Yes." Colossus nodded. "I'm almost older than any other ghost in existence. Remember, time influences even ghost. Eventually, I will just fade. Using my full powers shortens the time I have left, while sleeping lengthens it."

"Then…shouldn't you use the rest of the time you have to complete your obsession?" Phantom questioned.

"I will need to wait a few years, then the circumstances will be right." Colossus smiled and placed his large hand on the halfa's shoulder. "My greatest battle will happen soon, but until then, I will wait."

"…Okay…" Phantom nodded.

"And with that, time for my nap!" Colossus turned and yawned.

"Colossus…" Phantom called to the leaving giant.

"Huh?" Colossus stopped and turned his head.

Phantom struggled with what to say. Colossus was the one to push him past his limits. If that one fight hadn't happened at the beginning of the year, then Phantom might not have made it this far. He wouldn't have trained as hard. He wouldn't have fought as hard.

The halfa wanted to say thank you. He wanted to say that Colossus was his rival and friend. Phantom wanted the giant to know how much he appreciated Colossus' help over the months. So, he summarized it all in eight words.

"When I get stronger, I want a rematch."

Colossus laughed. "Well said, my friend! Well said!"

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-June 22, 2010)<p>

"Valerie!" Dani knocked on the door of her role model. "Are you home!?"

The door opened to reveal Valerie's father. "Miss Masters? What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to Valerie please." Dani looked up at the large man.

"Come in, come in." Damien ushered the girl into the house. He had to be respectful to his boss's daughter. "Valerie's in her room. The door's open. Do you want a drink or some snacks?"

"Naw, it's fine. I just want to talk to her. It will only take a second." Dani waved him off.

"Oh, ok…" Damien watched her go.

Despite the door being open, Dani knocked. "Val?"

"Dani?" Valerie looked up from her desk. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to talk to you." Dani entered her room. "You haven't been by since the ceremony for Klemper and the others. I'm a little concerned."

"It's just odd with Ember being there." Valerie gained a sad smile. "I'm not mad at you or anything."

"I wasn't worried about that." Dani shook her head. "I would know if I did something to make you mad. You're pretty vocal about that stuff."

"Then why are you here?" Valerie inquired.

"You haven't been by to pick up your equipment." Dani explained. "Danny's keeping it for you. Why don't you put the suit back on and help us again?"

"I…" Valerie sighed. "I don't think I should."

"What?" Dani was surprised.

"Danny came to me before the war. He wanted me to give him my equipment…" Valerie frowned.

"Yeah, I heard about that." Dani nodded.

"I…I just gave the equipment to him. I didn't fight when things get tough." Valerie gained a sad look. "I wasn't willing to risk it all to be a hero. In the end, my resolution wasn't strong enough…"

"But you're the Red Huntress!" Dani exclaimed. "You have our backs!"

"But I didn't." Valerie noted. "I didn't have your backs when it mattered most."

"We don't hold that against you." Dani frowned. "Anyone who had a real way out wouldn't have fought."

"You, Danny, and Mr. Masters all had a way out. You didn't have to save the Ghost Zone, but you did." Valerie explained. "You deserve to be called heroes. Me? I'm just the girl who quit when the goings got tough."

"That's not true! You fought with us during a lot of tough times!" Dani cried.

"Dani…" Valerie sighed. "I'm sorry, but I'm done for now. I need some time to think about who I am, and what I want."

"But…" Dani trailed off.

"Don't worry, I don't think I'll be done forever." Valerie tried to comfort the girl who looked up to her.

"…Tell me this. Is this about Danny and Ember? I know you liked my brother. I'm not clueless like him." Dani eyed the older girl.

"I would be lying if I said that wasn't at least a small part of it." Valerie admitted. "But I had my chance. I let it pass, and that's my fault. I don't blame them."

Dani sighed. "Being a teenager sounds complicated."

"It is." Valerie smiled.

"Alright!" Dani turned. "I'll respect your decision. Although I think it's stupid…"

"Thank you, Dani." Valerie smiled.

"But you better still help with training." Dani demanded.

"Wouldn't miss it."

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-June 23, 2010)<p>

"Well…" Danny began as he eyed the guest in the living room. "This is unexpected."

"I guess it would be." The Fright Knight acknowledged.

For the past month, the Fright Knight had more an observer of all the change rather than a participant. Danny didn't think too much of it. The Fright Knight didn't appear to like change all that much, even if the change was necessary.

For a while, Danny just assumed that the Fright Knight would leave and travel. Perhaps, he would try to live a normal life like the Spectre was in L.A. Yet, the Fright Knight did not leave. He was out of the way, but he did nothing. He just stood, observed, and thought. No one really knew what he was thinking about. Even Vision wasn't sure what the knight ghost was going to do.

"Take a seat, then." Danny gestured to a nearby chair.

"Thank you." Fright Knight nodded and sat down.

Danny sat down on the couch. "I'd offer some refreshments or some crap, but I don't think this is a social call."

"It's not." Fright Knight acknowledged.

"Hmm…" Danny eyed his enemy turned temporary ally.

"Where is Plasmius and the child?" Fright Knight questioned.

"Everyone's gone right now. Vlad had business to take care of. Dani's out with friends. Wulf and Cujo like to wander. And Ember does whatever she wants." Danny explained.

"So…you are alone." Fright Knight noted.

Danny tensed. "I am. Does that matter?"

"No." The Fright Knight shook his head. "I would have done this entire Ghost Zone if I had to."

"Oh…" Danny was ready to go ghost in an instant. "And what is that."

The Fright Knight stood. He unsheathed his sword. Danny quickly went ghost. Phantom was sure that he was going to attack, but the older ghost did not attack. No, he did the exact opposite. He knelt down unto one knee.

The Fright Knight knelt before Phantom. He gently lifted his sword above his head. "I am here to pledge my allegiance to you, Danny Phantom."

"…What?"

"I have watched you, Phantom." The Fright Knight stated. "I've watched as you defeated foes who outmatched you. I've watched as you overcame the odds. I've watched as you inspired and lead the entire Ghost Zone under your flag. These are tasks that I have only seen one other person do."

"Pariah Dark…" Phantom muttered. He knew that there were many similarities between him and the Ghost King. The halfa didn't like to think about it all that much, though.

"Indeed. You hold a presence that can be compared to my master…before he went mad." Fright Knight sighed.

"What exactly happened? Did the power corrupt him?" Phantom questioned.

"I suppose. He just slowly started to become more cruel…more ruthless…At one time, he was a very caring king. That was why I was loyal to him for so long." Fright Knight explained.

"And now you want to be loyal to me in a similar way…." Phantom sighed.

"Yes. You are a worthy master. It is my purpose to serve. But I will only serve the greatest, the most honorable, and the best." Fright Knight stated. "That's you."

"Why not Vision or Colossus, though?" Phantom questioned. "They're far stronger and more experience than me."

"They do not possess the qualities of a king. They can't make foes into allies. They can't inspire people to be all they can be. You can. You are king material." Fright Knight humbly stated.

Phantom sighed. "I do not want to be king of anything. I rule over myself and that's it."

"And that will be the difference between you and Pariah Dark." Fright Knight held up his sword. "That is why I will be your servant."

Phantom stared at him for a moment. "No."

The Fright Knight deflated in depression as he lowered the sword. "I thought as much. I have fought you before. I ruined your preparations for Halloween. I caused much destruction in your home. I do not deserve to serve you."

"That's not it." Phantom chuckled. "It's just that I don't need a servant."

"What?" Fright Knight looked up in confusion.

"I don't need a servant, but I could always use a friend." Phantom extended his hand to help the Fright Knight up.

Fright Knight examined the hand curiously. Those he had served had never offered something like this. Pariah Dark had given orders, and he had followed them. There were never any exceptions…until now.

Fright Knight took the hand. "There is another difference after all…"

* * *

><p>(Saturday-June 26, 2010)<p>

Harriet Chin had immediately been released after the GIW War. All the bogus charges were dropped after the UN learned of the corruption of the GIW. Despite this, Harriet spent the next month trying to get everything in order and helping with the investigation of the GIW.

As soon as she was available, Danny flew her to Amity Park. Harriet had proven herself to be a valuable ally and friend. It was time to cross off something on his to-do list, but first he had to tell her. Danny had to explain everything about his dual life in order for this offer to work.

So, Danny spent two hours telling Harriet the entire story. He explained his transformation, his attempts to be a hero, his foes, his failures, and his involvement in the GIW War. Not only that, he (with Vlad's and Dani's permission) had explained the involvement of his family in all of it. To say that Harriet was shocked would be an understatement.

"I…I don't…what the…how…" Harriet stuttered.

"It is a lot to take in…" Vlad mentioned.

"Yeah, but, it had to be done." Danny shrugged.

"I…uh…You don't have to kill me now, do you?" Harriet paled.

"That depends on you." Vlad smirked.

Harriet was at a loss for words.

"We told you this, because you proved yourself to be loyal." Danny explained. "You stood up for us, got caught with the weapon I gave you, and was arrested. That's a real friend, and you deserve to know our secret."

"…T-thank you…" Harriet gave a ghost of a smile. She was still in shock.

"There is more, though." Vlad stated.

"What?!" Harriet asked nervously.

"We would like to offer you a job." Danny explained. "We need the press on our side, and you working for Godfrey won't help us."

"Yeah, well I quit that job with that jackass." Harriet huffed. "Turned on me first chance he got."

"A cutthroat world…" Vlad muttered.

"We know you quit, that's why we want you to work fo us." Danny smiled.

"What?"

"How would you like being our personal publicist?"

* * *

><p>(Monday-June 28, 2010)<p>

Danny stared at the building in front of him. He had no idea that Vlad was going to build it. Danny had been a little too preoccupied lately to notice its construction. The halfa was extremely grateful. It was exactly as he remember.

Danny extended his hand. He felt the solid brick. The new door was the same. Even the concrete steps were exactly the same. Stepping back, Danny looked up. There was a giant neon on the front of the building. Above it was the giant operations center.

Fenton Works.

Danny's old home was back and better than ever. The halfa felt like crying tears of joy. His family's home would live on in this new form. But there was still the problem of the old version's destroyer.

"I know you're there." Danny looked into a nearby ally.

Jenifer stepped forward. "Hey…"

"Hey." Danny nodded.

"So, Mr. Masters had it rebuilt, huh?" Jenifer looked up at the building.

"That he did." Danny nodded. "He's a real softy sometimes."

"I bet…" Jenifer smiled softly at the joke. "It's been a while, Danny."

"That it has, Jen." Danny stated.

"It's Jen again?" Jenifer looked hopeful.

"It is." Danny nodded. "I'm glad to see you, Jen. It will allow both of us some closure. But I have to say, I didn't think you would come back."

"I had to see you one more time." Jenifer stated. "I figured you'd be here eventually. So I waited."

"Hmm…" Danny looked up at the building.

Jenifer eyed Danny. "What happened, anyway? After the attack on the mansion, you disappeared. The only thing they found was the destroyed lab."

"Yeah." Danny laughed to himself. "Let's just say I have my own ways out of that lab. But I had to make sure the GIW didn't get any more of my equipment."

"Makes sense…" Jenifer decided not to question that anymore.

"You didn't tell anyone about Red X, did you?" Danny questioned.

"No. That would cost me my own skin." Jenifer stated. "No one knows who he is."

"Good." Danny nodded.

"You…you said you wanted closure?" Jenifer questioned carefully. "That could mean many things. For all I know, you could want to kill me."

"No, I don't want that." Danny face the girl. "There was just something I had to tell you."

"Oh?" Jenifer tilted her head. "And that is?"

"I have done a lot of soul searching lately." Danny explained. "I realized that I get nothing from holding old grudges against people. What's done is done, and it can't be changed. I can only change my attitude about the people."

"What does that mean?" Jenifer questioned.

"Jen, I forgive you." Danny smiled at his friend turned enemy turned acquaintance.

"…Huh?" Jenifer was shocked.

"You didn't want to do what you did." Danny explained. "You did it because of your father. I may not know who that is, but I do know that I would have done the exact same thing if I was in your situation."

"Danny…" Jenifer looked at him desperately. "Nobody would forgive me for what I've done. Please, don't play with me like this."

"Didn't we cover this the first time we met?" Danny hugged his friend. "I am nobody."

Jenifer began to cry into his shoulder. "Thank you, Danny…"

For a few minutes, the two stood there. Both were content where they were. Unfortunately, it couldn't last forever. They eventually had to part.

"I…I have to go now…" Jenifer smiled. "Thank you, Danny. You are a good friend."

"Stay safe, Jen." Danny stepped away from Jenifer. "I'd like to see you visit, but don't come back as Jinx. Phantom and Spirit will be on the lookout for you…and stay away from Fenton Works, alright?"

"That's my plan…and Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't change, alright? You're perfect the way you are, even if you are nobody."

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-June 30, 2010)<p>

"Hello, Daniel." Clockwork greeted the halfa. "What a surprise to see you."

"You knew I was coming." Phantom snorted. "You know everything, right?"

"With you, things are different." Clockwork shifted from an adult into an old man. "They always have."

"Like with Death?" Phantom questioned.

"Exactly." Clockwork smiled. "You're starting to see the big picture."

"Yeah, big picture." Phantom sighed. "You knew all this was going to happen, didn't you?"

"Yes." Clockwork shifted into his child form. "I knew that eventually a war would happen between the Ghost Zone and the human world, and I knew you had to be there to resolve it."

"And if I wasn't there?" Phantom questioned.

"Long term war. The death of hundreds of millions. Destruction of resources. The weakening of both worlds to the point where neither side could defend itself." Clockwork stated. "Hell on Earth."

"I see…" Phantom nodded. "Then you know what will happen?"

"No." Clockwork shook his head. "That is the problem with you. I can now only see what could possibly happen. There is an uncountable number of outcomes. I have done my part. It is now up to you, my young friend."

"What about my…current problems." Phantom held up a glowing green hand of ectoplasm. It was far dimmer than it had ever been before.

"Ah, that and the…other thing." Clockwork sighed. "Like I said, I don't know how things will end up, and telling you what to do might just destroy the time stream. It is all very complicated, Daniel."

"That I know." Phantom nodded. "But it was worth a shot. Getting advice would always help."

"My advice would be to trust yourself." Clockwork turned into an adult. "I believe that it will all work out in the end."

"Yeah…I…I'll try that…and one more thing." Phantom approached the time ghost.

"Yes?" Clockwork raised an eyebrow.

"You've done so much for me. You saved my life. You saved my future. You stopped me from committing murder. Yet all this time, I haven't even thanked you." Phantom extended his hand. "Thank you, Clockwork."

Clockwork laughed and took the hand. "You're welcome, Danny Phantom."

"I may not know why you did everything you did." Phantom stepped back. "I may not like it, either, but I will trust you."

"You still blame yourself." That was a statement, not a question.

"You know I do, and I always will…for everything." Phantom gave him a sad smile.

"Perhaps. Perhaps, not." Clockwork turned back into an old man. "I know nothing I can say will change it now. You will need to find your own answer."

"That I will…" Phantom turned and began to leave. "I'll see you around, Clockwork!"

"Goodbye, Danny Phantom." Clockwork turned to one of his time windows. A picture of a large mountain appeared. In the mountain were a group of teenagers preparing for a mission. "And good luck…"

* * *

><p>(Thursday-July 1, 2010)<p>

It was hard to believe that it had been almost a year since the accident that gave him powers. Soon, the anniversary would come and pass. So much had happened since last year. There had been so much change, both good and bad, and it looked like things would keep changing.

The past year had been one of constant fights and constant challenges. A year ago, Danny didn't think he would be able to handle such stress, but now he was stronger and smarter. He truly had changed over the year.

Not to mention the last seven months. At New Years, he was at this exact spot thinking about his own suffering and how he wanted it to end no matter what. Now, he knew that his pain didn't matter. He now knew what his obsession was, and that was what Danny would live for.

Phantom floated above Fenton Works. He was watching his city. All was at peace right now. Phantom enjoyed the time before the next conflict.

"But that might be a while…" Phantom noted to himself.

Because of the war, most ghosts didn't want to enter the human world. That meant there won't be any ghost attacks. Amity Park wasn't that big compared to other cities, either. There probably wouldn't be near as much danger in Amity Park as before. Despite swearing to protect the city, Phantom knew that his services weren't going to be required near as much.

He'd have to find something else to do…

"Excuse me, Danny?" Superman's voice caught Phantom's attention.

The halfa turned. "Superman? What are you doing here?"

"Well you see, the League wanted me to ask you something in person." Superman smiled.

"What is it?" Phantom listened carefully. Yes, it was the start of a new adventure…of a new story.

"What are you doing on Independence Day?"

But that story would have to wait for another day.

* * *

><p><strong>The End<strong>

**Obsession-A story by The Struggling Warrior**

**Stay tuned for special "Behind Obsession" chapter that will be out in a week.**

**Note: To all the faithful readers, thank you for all your support. At the beginning, even I didn't think I would be able to get this story to work. Now look where we are. To those who were with me from the beginning, to those who joined part way, and to those who have just joined, you all have my deepest gratitude. The sequel will be out in two weeks.**


	23. Behind Obsession

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth." Marcus Aurelius

* * *

><p><strong>Behind Obsession<strong>

(Thursday-November 5, 2009)

"Tragedy strikes Amity Park today, as six perish in what is being called the 'Nasty Burger Incident'." Spring Whitiker explained from her spot in front of the destroyed building. "In the explosion, the world's leading experts on ghosts, Jack and Maddie Fenton perished along with their daughter Jasmine, two teenagers Sam Manson and Tucker Foley, and local teacher Mr. Lancer.

"The explosion was apparently caused by a mystery ghost that impersonated the only survivor. Luckily, Danny Phantom held off and captured the ghost before he could kill any more victims.

"The only known survivor of the tragedy, Danny Fenton, has been taken to the hospital to treat his…" The video was paused.

"What was the point of this?" Queen Bee asked over the screen. "The death of these people should not concern us."

"Patience, Queen Bee." Ra's Al Ghul reminded his comrade. "Remember that we have discussed the prospect of using ectoplasmic weaponry before. This will greatly hinder any efforts."

"Surely these people were not the only way to obtain such weapons?" The Brain suggested. "If I had a schematic, then I could easily manufacture some."

"That's the problem." Lex Luthor explained. "The only producers of such schematics have passed away. I have tried to look into other means, but all the known ghost hunters have recently retired and destroyed their weapons after being defeated by this Danny Phantom. There is a government program, but it might take a few years to get something out of these…Guys in White."

"Right you are, old friend." Vandal Savage nodded. "These Fenton's were the world's last open producers of such technology, we will need to find another way…"

"Kukukukukuku…" Klarion chuckled insanely.

"What is it, Klarion?" Ra's asked.

"Oh, nothing." Klarion smiled. "Just been a while since I've met up with a ghost, and for one to go and kill people we need. I doubt that this is a coincidence."

"What are you suggesting?" Luthor inquired.

"I sensed some of good old Clockwork's energy for the past couple of days. He has interfered. It's rare for him to do that…" Klarion explained.

"Hmm…" Queen Bee frowned. "And this Clockwork is powerful?"

"Extremely." Klarion nodded. "He can see how things are going to turn out. He's the 'master of time'."

"So he might have interfered to stop us…" The Brain suggested.

"Maybe…" Klarion stroked his chin. "I'd have to ask him…but we're not exactly on speaking terms…"

"He killed off these people, but he spared one…" Vandal glared at the picture of Daniel Fenton. "Why? Who is he?"

"Well…" Luthor seemed to be focused on a computer. "Technically, he's a nobody. Average grades and athletics. Skips and sleeps in class. Seems to have been in a few awkward situations, but besides being related to Jack and Maddie Fenton, he doesn't especially stick out…"

"If Clockwork made sure to keep him alive, then he's not a nobody." Klarion grinned. "He's important to the time stream."

"Then we should keep an eye on this Danny Fenton."

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-November 11, 2009)<p>

Vlad took a shaky breath as he stood outside Daniel's room. He had been having a terrible time dealing with…all this. In a short blaze, he had lost everything.

Maddie was gone. She had crossed the abyss, and there was no way to get her back. His love was now completely out of reach.

A part of him died at that thought…but not all hope was lost. There was still Daniel. He could still groom Jack's son into his own.

Hope was not lost.

* * *

><p>(Saturday-November 14, 2009)<p>

Dani gasped as she fell out of the tube. For once, the pain was gone. She didn't feel like she was going to fall apart.

Before she could hit the floor, she felt a strong pair of arms grab her. The arms of her father held her closely. Protecting her…

"Is she alright?" Dani heard a voice ask from behind her. A boy stood there. He shared a very close resemblance to her. She recognized him instantly. He was Danny Fenton.

"She is now…" Vlad nodded. "Her genetic structure has stabilized. I should run more tests, but…"

Dani didn't hear the rest. She was keener on looking at Fenton. He looked tired and sad…like he needed a hug.

Their eyes met. His eyes showed so much concern. He cared about her. He…helped fix her.

Dani felt relief as she looked at her father and Danny…her brother. It was all going to be okay now. She was going to be fine. She was with her family now.

* * *

><p>(Saturday-December 19, 2009)<p>

Klemper felt tears run down his face as he looked up to Phantom's face. He had never heard those words before. "I'll be your friend." It was amazing.

Complete joy overcame the ice ghost. For once, something had gone right in his life, and he wouldn't let it go easily.

He would be the best friend ever. Even if it meant risking his life…

* * *

><p>(Sunday-December 20, 2009)<p>

"Why did you approach Phantom?" Ra's questioned. "He is now aware of you."

"I couldn't resist!" Klarion chuckled. "He's just so much fun!"

"It doesn't matter if a child is aware of Klarion." Queen Bee noted. "Especially if this ghost boy is a loner. He's just a boy trying to play hero."

"I wouldn't rule him out just yet." Klarion smirked. "He's an S-rank ghost after all…or border line or something like that."

"You've explained this to us." The Brain noted. "These ghosts are extremely powerful, but will never ally with humans. No use to us."

"You're right, but this ghost is different!" Klarion insisted. "He appeared what? Four months ago? And he's already made a name for himself and is already pretty strong. I mean, he took down the Ghost King! It took all of the Ancient Six to do that! There is something unnatural about him."

"I agree with Klarion." Vandal nodded. "This Phantom should be watched closely. If he gets out of hand, we will have to eliminate him."

"Now I wouldn't go that far." Luthor noted. "He could be a powerful asset. As Queen Bee stated, he's just a boy trying to play hero."

"Yes…these ghosts as a whole could be very useful…" Savage grinned. "They have fascinating powers."

"And dangerous ones at that." Ra's pointed out. "We need to arm ourselves against them in case they attack."

"Agreed." Savage nodded. "We need to get, Mr. Fenton to cooperate. Tell me, Lex, isn't he coming to your Holiday Party?"

"Ah, yes." Luthor smiled. "That would be a good chance to speak with, Mr. Fenton. I'm sure I can persuade him to work with Lex Corp."

"And if not?" Queen Bee asked.

"I don't think forcing him will be necessary at this point. Even if he does reject my offer, I just think he needs a little bit of publicity and spot light. It will put the pressure on him…" Luthor suggested.

"Yes," Savage agreed. "But for extra measure, I think it is about time to send in some help. Queen Bee, have you been working on that perfume we talked about before?"

"I have."

"Excellent."

* * *

><p>(Tuesday, December 22, 2009)<p>

Ra's Al Ghul answered his phone. "Hello? Is that you Luthor?"

"Yes, it's me."

"Did your plan work?"

"I tried to reason with him, but he said no."

"Then I suppose I should alert Sportsmaster."

"Yes, plan B it is then."

"I told him that he would get in easily. I'll trust that you'll see to that."

"I'll make sure they get in without any trouble."

"Sportsmaster was told to try to capture Fenton, but he might underestimate the boy."

"Oh, don't worry. The whole point is publicity not success."

"Getting a scan of one of his weapons will speed along our plans… and you're sure he'll be prepared?"

"He just went through a tragic accident, of course he has a weapon on him."

"And Superman won't interfere, correct?"

"Yes, the big blue boy scout will be out of the way."

"Very good. I'll tell Sportsmaster to move when you give the signal."

"Make sure to tell them not to kill anyone important, we might need them for the future."

"I will. Speak with you soon, Mr. Luthor."

"Yes, goodbye."

And with that, Ra's hung up the phone.

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-December 23, 2009)<p>

"Quite the performance, eh Bruce?" Clark Kent as he watched the video of Danny Fenton take down the armed guards.

"It was…" Bruce glared at the screen. "I had no idea that these weapons were so powerful. Anything I got from Fenton before wasn't anywhere near that destructive."

"I know you worry about that kid." Clark smiled at his friend. "But he's got a good heart. I can tell."

"He's still young. He can easily be corrupted." Bruce noted. "We need to keep a close eye on him."

Clark sighed. "From what I saw, he's pretty defensive. I suppose he has the right, but I don't think he'll let just anyone get close and use him."

"You forget the weaknesses every teenage boy has…"

* * *

><p>(Friday-January 15, 2010)<p>

"I've made contact." Jenifer spoke into her cell phone as she entered her apartment.

"Very good. And did he take the bait?"

"He did. He believes that I am awestruck by him and want to be his friend. He'll call me in a few days."

"Excellent. Make him fall in love with you, and use him to get to his weapons. Queen Bee's perfume will make it easy for you. Stay safe, Jenifer."

"Thank you, Father."

* * *

><p>(Friday-January 15, 2010)<p>

Colossus woke up as he felt something pressing down on him. Opening his eyes, the giant realized that he was under ruble. That wouldn't do…

Boom! The ruble was sent flying off the ghost.

Yawning, Colossus stood and looked around. His home was in ruin…oh, well! He had been sleeping too much anyway.

It was time to get up and stretch his legs.

* * *

><p>(Friday-January 15, 2010)<p>

"Why did you want me to wake Colossus up?" Klarion asked. "He'll just go around spouting crap about honor and occasionally pick a fight and wipe the floor with his opponent."

"I agree with Klarion." Luthor added in. "If he is as powerful as Klarion says, then we will have a problem with him if he becomes our enemy. We don't need another Superman."

"He does seem like a loose cannon." Queen Bee mentioned.

"Colossus will show the people just how dangerous ghosts really are. If we want our plan to succeed, the people need to be completely terrified of ghosts." Savage explained.

"Savage is correct. Panic will be our ally as the masses scream for protection from the dead." Ra's agreed with Savage. "This first step will help. Just look at Colossus' fight with Phantom. Eventually the people of Earth will begin to panic and our true plan can begin."

"I concede that you have a point." Luthor acknowledged. "It seems like a risky move, though."

"Big risk means big reward." Vandal grinned. "Speaking of risks…Brain, how is your newest project going?"

"Luthor's scan of Monsieur Fenton's weapon was a huge help. The weapons are being produced." The Brain explained. "I am having trouble making a permanent portal to the Ghost Zone though. The hole keeps closing. Don't worry, though. I'm sure everything will be fine."

* * *

><p>(Saturday-January 16, 2010)<p>

Agent Z scowled at his men. "So Fenton refused our offer?"

Agent K gulped. "Yes, sir. I don't believe that we will be able to get what you want from him."

Agent O quickly intervened. "But there is still a chance. We will just have to wait until Fenton makes a mistake."

"Please!" Agent Z snapped. "As long as Fenton is under Masters' protection we won't be able to touch him! We'll never get the secret schematics from Fenton Works now…"

"Forgive us, sir!" Both Agent K and O quickly apologized.

"Nothing can be done about it now…" Agent Z sighed. "For now, let's focus on Phantom. He's too much of a liability to be allowed to go free. Set up a trap and capture the freak of nature."

* * *

><p>(Saturday-January 16, 2010)<p>

Valerie sat in the silence of her room. Her dad asked if she was okay several times already. She said she was fine, but she wasn't.

Danny Fenton was Danny Phantom.

The though shocked her. The sweet boy she grew so close to was her worst enemy. It was like one of those old cliché stories.

Valerie shuddered as she remembered the power Phantom possessed… far power than she had. The only thing she had was raw skill and combat experience. She ideally wondered what would happen if Danny was to use all his strength against her…

The thought scared her…

Despite this, though…Valerie remembered the kind eyes of Danny Fenton. The way he smiled and listened to what she had to say was so endearing. He was by far the nicest guy she ever met. Yet he was also the most dangerous.

In truth, Valerie didn't know how to feel. She was angry that he lied. She was sad that he was dead. She was worried what would happen. And…she was happy that he was safe.

Danny had been through a lot of fights over the past few months. More than a few were with her. He could have been badly hurt, but now…He was hurt, but he was still alive…sort of.

Sighing, Valerie thought of what she should do. This was a hard decision. How would she deal with Danny?

Luckily, she still had time to figure it out.

* * *

><p>(Monday-January 18, 2010)<p>

Something was wrong. He didn't call her. Why didn't he call her? He should be obsessed with her by now.

Jenifer looked up at the clock in the classroom. Damn this school. She understood that it was necessary for her cover, but she hated it. Dash kept making eyes at her…Shudder.

Soon class would get out. He would call by the end of the night. Jenifer was certain.

And if he didn't…she would have to pay the stupid boy a visit.

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-January 19, 2010)<p>

"I'm sorry," Jenifer bowed her head instead of looking at the screens in front of her. "He's resisting me…"

"Impossible. My perfume would make you irresistible to any teenage boy." Queen Bee simply stated.

"But he resisted even my suggestion about changing a small part of his wardrobe!" Jenifer exclaimed.

"You can't even get a boy to change his appearance for you?" Queen Bee sneered.

"Now don't be too hard on the girl." Luthor smiled. "Mr. Fenton has a lot on his mind. With everything that has happened…the requests from so many companies are just distracting him."

"Yes, these things take time." Ra's insisted. "Just keep near the boy as much as possible. He will become infatuated soon enough."

"Thank you, Great One." Jenifer smiled.

"Is there any other news we should know?" The Brain asked.

"Yes…er…I, uh, saw the Flash and Kid Flash in town earlier." Jenifer stated. "They helped Phantom. I don't know why they were here, though."

Silence.

"Uh…" Jenifer shifted uncomfortably under their gaze. It was like being looked at by gods…

"Thank you, Daughter. That was most informative. It appears that Mr. Fenton is helping the Justice League. Perhaps we should rethink our no kidnapping policy on Mr. Fenton…"

Jenifer looked startled at that. She didn't want Dan… Fenton hurt. "I thought we were just going to trick him into giving you weapons?"

"Things change…"

* * *

><p>(Thursday-February 4, 2010)<p>

"I interacted with Phantom as instructed." Jinx explained over the screen. "In a direct fight, I might lose. If I use stealth tactics, though, I would win easily."

"Good to know his weakness." Luthor mentioned.

"And your powers will work on him?" Ra's asked.

"Yes." Jinx answered.

"Seems that you're good for something." Queen Bee mumbled. "You haven't even gotten a tour of Fenton's mansion, yet."

Jinx just nodded her head in shame.

"How is progress going with Fenton, Jinx?" Savage asked.

"Slow. He's defensive around me…and other girls in general. I'll get him to open up, though, I swear." Jinx insisted.

"See that you do." The Brain instructed. "If you keep failing, we might need to pull you out."

"If you didn't have me do an assignment every weekend…" Jinx began.

"Fine, take this weekend off." Savage nodded. "Get close to him."

* * *

><p>(Friday-February 5, 2010)<p>

"The Ghost Zone was amazing." Jinx spoke to her masters. "I only saw a small part of it, but it's so different than our own world."

"Yes, it is very unique…"The Brain drawled. "From what I have seen through the portal, I'm creating…It is quite the sight."

"Meh…" Klarion shrugged. "You see one alternated dimension, you've seen them all."

"Indeed, not all of us have had the privilege, though." Luthor noted. "However…one of us now has seen the inside of Fenton Works…"

"Quite right, Lex." Savage grinned. "Did you manage to scope out the place while you were there?"

"The portal we came out of was in the lab." Jenifer nodded. "It was dusty in there, but I saw all kinds of tech in there. I couldn't grab any of it, though. There were too many eyes watching me."

"It's alright, child." Ra's stated. "One step at a time."

"I did learn of the defense system, though." Jenifer explained. "It seems…very extreme. I don't know all the details, but Danny is the only one who can safely disarm it."

"Danny?" Queen Bee raised an eyebrow. "You seem awfully familiar with Fenton. Could you possibly be straying from the mission?"

"My apologies," Jenifer bowed her head. "A mere slip of the tongue. It is difficult to change the name association too quickly."

"Very true." Luthor nodded. "It is a skill that takes time to master. Don't be so harsh, Queen Bee."

"Hmm…"Queen Bee didn't seem happy, but nodded nevertheless.

"So, only Fenton can disarm the security?" Savage questioned. "No one else?"

"Well…the Masters girl might be able to do it." Jenifer noted. "Danny talks about her a lot. He adores her. There is a possibility that she's tuned into the security for emergencies."

"She is protected by Mr. Masters, though." Luthor mention. "Vlad is not a forgiving man. Doing anything to his daughter would prove counterproductive."

"Very true. He has much power and influence. We should focus on Fenton then…"

* * *

><p>(Friday-February 5, 2010)<p>

"You filthy peasants!" Aragon screamed. He was now trapped in the dungeon. Without his amulet…he was powerless. "Damn you all! I am king!"

He was the king! How dare they treat him like this?! Had he not protected them from the corruption of the modern world?

He had…until this day. Aragon had to have a bride from the human world. The ghost sent his sister into the human world in an attempt to find a bride that was fit for only the greatest. The failed king wanted a woman that was suitable only for the best. A bride that even the rare halfa would desire.

That had been his fall…No! It was that Phantom! He was the cause of all this!

Aragon's plan was perfect. He was king, so he deserved the best. It was Phantom that stole what was his. They were probably crowning the halfa king at this very moment.

"Danny Phantom…" Aragon growled as he gripped the metal bars. "I will kill you Danny Phantom!"

* * *

><p>(Friday-February 12, 2010)<p>

"Master Torch!" Smo cried as he flew into the throne room. "I think the last attempts to destroy the drill have proven fruitless!"

Torch frowned from his spot on the throne. "Torch believes that this is becoming a problem…perhaps Torch should search for help against this threat…"

"I mostly definitely don't know about that, Master Torch." Bi commented. "That might make you appear weak before the other ghosts."

"Torch agrees with your point…" Torch frowned. "But Torch will not put Torch's minions in danger. The hole is growing each day despite the efforts to destroy the drill. Help might be necessary…But asking the other S-ranks ghosts for help would hurt Torch's reputation."

"I think that we need to go to the other side of the drill." Smo suggested.

"Torch believes that would work. To do so, Torch would need someone who can travel between the human world and the Ghost Zone at will…Do you know anything about such a ghost?"

"There is most definitely that Wulf ghost…" Bi stated. "I heard that Danny Phantom is working to get him out of Walker's prison."

"Helping out a friend huh?" Torch grinned. "Torch can respect that…Maybe when he's out, Torch can ask that Wulf for a favor…"

* * *

><p>(Sunday-February 14, 2010)<p>

The Brain was practically seething in anger. Those damn ghosts! How dare they do that to his laboratory!

Everything was either broken or burned. It all started because of that random portal appearing above the drill. The fire rained in, and everything went to hell.

This Torch and Danny Phantom would pay for what they did. He had lost months of research. There were no backups either…

Brain looked over at his destroyed lab. While he was furious about what happened to his lab, there was still a bright side.

While that portal was open, Brain managed to scan it. What he found was amazing. A small concentrated rip in reality appeared because of such a simple cut. It maintained itself, too.

With any luck…Brain would be able to duplicate the effects.

* * *

><p>(Sunday-February 14, 2010)<p>

Nocturne smiled at the sight before him. Two S-rank ghosts were suspended in the energy drainage tubes. The sleep ghost could feel himself becoming stronger. He could easily create armies was Sleep walkers now.

There was one more battery he could acquire right now, though. Plasmius was in Amity Park. Using him as a power source would make Nocturne a force to be feared.

After that was done, he take over the human world. They wouldn't know what hit them. No one was prepared for an all-powerful army of sleep ghosts to attack. Defeating the humans would be easy.

There was the problem of Colossus. He was awake and roaming the human world. If he managed to track Nocturne down…

He'd just have to make sure Colossus fell asleep too. Not too much of a problem. Wait till the giant rests, then make sure he stayed that way.

Once that was done, no one would be able to stop Nocturne. He would attack the Ghost Zone and capture all the other S-ranked ghosts. With that, he would obtain godhood.

Yes, the god of sleep…that had a nice ring to it.

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-February 17, 2010)<p>

Colossus grabbed the last sleep walker before it could run. There had been hundreds of the little pests, but Colossus had merely swiped them away like flies. Now there was only one left.

"Who are you and why did you attack me?" Colossus growled.

The pest merely moaned. That appeared to be all it could say.

"Psh!" Colossus crushed the pest in his giant fist. Looking around, Colossus realized that he might have gone overboard. Trees were blown over. Craters were spread across the area.

The human in the nearby town would be mad…Wait…They are all asleep.

Oh well, now they won't be mad!

Huh? The humans were sleeping across the ground. Didn't they usually sleep in beds? And why were they sleeping in broad daylight…

Something was up, and Colossus was going to get to the bottom of it.

* * *

><p>(Thursday-February 18, 2010)<p>

"Where are we even going, Batman?" Red Tornado questioned.

They had decided to rest for the night. They remained hidden in a cave. Not the best place to rest, but it would do.

"Amity Park." Batman explained. "My sensors told me that the source of the ghosts are coming from there."

"Was there any doubt?" Robin questioned. "That's the only place where ghosts appear. It makes sense that this army would come from there."

"Indeed." Red Tornado nodded. "But how are we supposed to stop this army? They outnumber us 364,095 to one."

"We find Danny Fenton. He may be asleep, but we can use his equipment to destroy the source of the ghosts." Batman noted.

"That doesn't sound like much of a plan…" Robin noted sadly.

"It's the best we got, though."

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-February 23, 2010)<p>

Nocturne didn't know there was such a pain in the world. His bones were smashed, his body was bruised, and his pride and dreams were utterly destroyed. How did it happen? He had already won? These were the kinds of questions running through the sleep ghost's mind as he was led to his jail cell in Walker's prison.

Colossus and Torch had made sure to capture the sleeping ghost so he couldn't do anymore harm. It was humiliating. To be defeated even though he had obtained such an absolute power…

Perhaps he underestimated the humans… No, it was not the humans. It wasn't even the ghosts. It was the halfas.

The ghost girl was the first one to wake. Then she caused shockwaves. Phantom and Plasmius woke up after that. Yes, it was the halfas' fault.

Luckily, all was not lost. He was still alive thanks to that foolish boy. Phantom should have finished Nocturne while he could. Now, the sleep ghost could make plans for the future.

He would be god one day, but to that, he would have to accomplish one goal first…

He needed to kill every halfa alive.

* * *

><p>(Wednesday, March 3, 2010)<p>

"I want her back! I want her back! I want her back!" Klarion raged.

"Old friend, calm yourself." Savage instructed.

"Gah! She was right there!" Klarion exclaimed. "I should have grabbed her! If only Phantom and Pandora wasn't there!"

"That would have accomplished little." Ra's commented. "If she is your daughter, she can't be contained by normal means. Trying to do so would merely make her resent you."

"He's correct." Luthor smirked. "You need to divide her from her mother, and she will flock to you for comfort."

"But I want her back now!" Klarion shouted. "She's my weapon!"

"Do not worry, Klarion." Queen Bee smiled. "When our plan works, Pandora will be no more. We shall make sure the Guys in White leave your spawn alone. That way you can have her back."

"How are those dimension claws coming along?" Savage questioned the Brain.

"They are almost finished. Soon, our GIW will be able to enter the Ghost Zone at will." Brain noted.

"Excellent, now all we need is the weaponry." Queen Bee noted.

"That's why we took action against Mr. Master." Luthor frowned at that. "It is dangerous to attack a potential ally like that, though. I don't like it."

"Injecting Mr. Masters with ectoplasm contaminate is the only way." Savage sighed. "We need to get Fenton out of Amity Park and distract the heroes. That way no one will notice Jinx completing her mission."

* * *

><p>(Wednesday, March 3, 2010)<p>

"I can't believe you disobeyed me!" Pandora seethed as she guided her daughter into their home.

"Really? That sounds exactly like something I would do…"

"This is serious!" Pandora exclaimed. "You were in danger."

"From who?" Nyx frowned. "The Girl Scout?"

"No. Not her, and not Phantom." Pandora knelt down to her child's level. "From a very bad man. You're lucky he didn't take you."

Nyx grumbled. "But he didn't. You keep saying that, but I knew he wouldn't do anything in Amity Park. The Upstart is there. He would protect me."

"What makes you say that?" Pandora questioned.

"He's the Fate Changer." Nyx noted.

"What?" Pandora didn't understand.

"Never mind… just a nickname." Nyx sighed. It would be so hard to explain what she heard. The wind kept saying that… The Fate Changer…

Pandora hugged her child. "I'm sorry that I'm overprotective. But I just want you to be safe. I love you."

"I love you too, Mommy…" Nyx hugged her mother. "I always will…"

* * *

><p>(Thursday-March 4, 2010)<p>

"I talked with Daniel Fenton." Luthor noted. "He confirmed my suspicions. Giving humans ghost powers won't work."

"Told ya!" Klarion gloated.

"It is true that no man has survived such a process before. The human body does not react well to ectoplasmic radiation." Ra's noted.

"It was once thought that the world was flat, man was alone in the universe, and superpowers were witchcraft." Brain argued. "I do not believe in something being impossible. We can give a human ghost powers. It will take time, though."

"Not to mention a lot of ectoplasm and test subjects." Queen Bee stated.

"Hmm…" Savage hummed in thought. "Well, soon we will have the ability to find out if it is possible. Sportsmaster and Lady Shiva have been deployed. Soon, we will have all the ectoplasmic energy we will ever need. After that, the Ghoul Project can be begin, and we will see what the truth is."

* * *

><p>(Thursday-March 4, 2010)<p>

**He could feel it…**

**A ghost had passed on wilingly…**

**So rare…**

**So much energy for the taking…**

**Yes…**

**Her death had made him stronger…**

* * *

><p>(Saturday-March 6, 2010)<p>

Jim Corrigan groaned as he walked into his apartment. He had a long day at the office. That was the biggest problem with being a detective. There was always so much stress.

Not to mention his…problem…

"Food, shower, sleep…" Corrigan muttered as he walked through his apartment.

"Hello, Spectre." A calm voice called through the darkness.

Corrigan froze.

"Did you really think I wouldn't notice your return?" Vision questioned as she stepped forward.

Carrigan's form shifted into the Spectre. "Vision…What do you want?"

"We need to talk."

"What about?"

"War."

* * *

><p>(Friday-March 12, 2010)<p>

"I apologize. Neither my powers nor Psimon's have had enough influence on the boy." Queen Bee noted. "I will admit, that is a rare type of male."

"Indeed." Luthor seemed impressed. "He has a strong mind. I knew he had potential."

"His mind was never in question." Ra's noted. "That was force of will."

"Kukukukuku…" Klarion chuckled. "So you admit defeat, Queen Bee? After all the complaining we heard about Jinx failing?"

"Yes, I was mistaken." Queen Bee admitted. "His will is too strong for the perfume I developed to do anything other than cause immediate attraction."

"Should I inform Jenifer of your apology?"

"Yes, I was mistaken…" Queen Bee sighed. Her heart really wasn't in it, though.

"How goes Jinx's mission anyway?" Brain questioned.

"Slow, but the job will be done. She needs to do move everything slowly in order to remain under the radar."

* * *

><p>(Saturday-March 13, 2010)<p>

"I was wondering if you would come." Fright Knight noted as he stood on top of the mountain. The view was truly beautiful.

"You were expecting me?" Vision questioned.

"I knew you come to find me eventually, child." Fright Knight stated coolly. "The only questions were when and for what purpose."

"I see…" Vision nodded. "Then I shall put it bluntly…I want you to join the counsil of the elite."

"Oh?" Fright Knight chuckled. "So you can trap me again? I do quite enjoy my newly found freedom."

"No, to stop a war." Vision explained.

"And why would I care?" Fright Knight questioned.

"Because it involves the halfas, including Danny Phantom." Vision stated knowingly.

"…Alright then."

* * *

><p>(Monday-March 22, 2010)<p>

Jinx looked at Fenton Works. Over the past few weeks, she stole everything that could be stolen. It wasn't like she had a problem with stealing. The problem was who she was stealing from.

She didn't want to steal from Danny. He had been nothing but kind to her. No one had ever been that nice to her, not even her own father.

Even after she stopped using that perfume (not she told her bosses), Danny was still kind to her. He smiled and laughed with her, despite his terrible pain. Jinx didn't want to do this to him.

But…she had a commitment to her father. She had already stolen everything, though. Why did she have to destroy Fenton Works?

Was it a message? Was it to hide all the tracks? Was it to get Danny angry?

It was all those things and more.

She…didn't want to do this. For once, Jinx wanted to disobey her father. She wanted to disobey the man that saved her and gave her hope. All for a boy…

Tears streamed from her eyes. She made her choice. "I'm sorry, Danny."

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-March 24, 2010)<p>

Jinx bowed before her leaders. They all seemed pleased.

"Well done, child." Ra's complimented. "This data was exactly what we needed."

"Indeed. I shall begin constructing these Necromancer's immediately." The Brain stated.

"You honor me." Jinx humbly noted.

"You have brought about your own honor." Luthor smiled. "Because of you our plans can now be set in motion."

"Yes, we have all the pieces needed." Queen Bee noted. "Soon we will have all the energy we will ever need."

"Does this mean that I will be moved from Amity Park?" Jenifer questioned.

"Not yet." Savage ordered. "Queen Bee has learned some very interesting information from Mr. Fenton. Keep monitoring him. Make sure he behaves as we anticipated."

"Yes, sir." Jinx's image faded from the screen.

"Have you contacted our new partner?" Savage questioned Luthor.

"Yes," Luthor smiled. "He quickly agreed to accept the weapons necessary for the invasion. If everything goes as planned, the invasion will happen in two months."

* * *

><p>(Friday-March 26, 2010)<p>

Lady Shiva had told him. She told her master that this would happen. But no, her master was too stubborn to listen to listen to her.

If the Great One had listened to her…she wouldn't have lost to Fenton and Phantom.

Shiva growled as she punched the punching bag in front of her. She wasn't mad at her master. She was mad at herself.

Had she really become so soft that two teenagers could defeat her? Yes, one of the teenagers was a powerful ghost. And the human boy was armed to the tee, but she was still ashamed. She even had the help of Sportsmaster and she lost.

"Raw!" Shiva knocked the sand out of the punching bag.

"Mother?" A nine year old girl caught Shiva's attention. "What's the matter?'

"Nothing Casandra…" Shiva looked at her daughter. The girl was born and raised to be the perfect assassin. Shiva never had the chance to give her the love she needed…

"You were mumbling something about Phantom." Casandra noted.

"Huh?" Shiva questioned. "It nothing, just a workout mantra."

"…Okay…" Cassandra walked off. She knew it wasn't a mantra. Her calm calculating mother was angry at this…Phantom.

How interesting…She would need to look into this Phantom.

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-April 7, 2010)<p>

Nyx watched as the Box Ghost approached her home. Considering his obsession, figuring out what he wanted wasn't all that difficult.

He was here for the Box. Nyx's mother's Box…

"Mom will be mad if he takes it…" Nyx noted. "But…imagine the fun…"

To hell with the consequences, she would help him get the Box. Just for fun…

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-April 7, 2010)<p>

"You spoke to him!" Angela Roth yelled. "Why did you do that?!"

"I had to warn him." Rachel explained to her mother. "I had to play some kind of role in this. This is the First Prophecy we're talking about. He is the Fate Changer, and-"

"And nothing!" Angela collapsed onto her couch. "Do you realize what you've done? We came here to stay hidden. Now, you attracted the attention of the person who was supposed to unknowingly hide you."

"I don't want to stay hidden." Rachel looked away from her mother. "I want to live. I want to help. I want to..."

"To what? Be like him? Like Spirit?" Angela sighed. "Rachel, you're not like them. You have to stay hidden. If you don't, He will find us…"

"He will find us no matter what we do. You think we can hide here, but you're wrong." Rachel spoke. "I know that eventually the time will come, and only they can help us. So, I want to help them because there is no way they can do it alone."

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-April 7, 2010)<p>

"Pandora's Box, eh?" Queen Bee questioned.

"Yeah, she's been using it to fight me for centuries." Klarion whined. "That stupid Box Ghost managed to get his hands on it?"

"How? Wouldn't Pandora have incredible security to protect it?" Luthor questioned.

"Well…Pandora is scary enough to keep away almost all the possible thieves…" Klarion noted.

"An angry woman is a terrifying thing." Ra's smiled.

"But yeah, she has some decent security." Klarion explained. "Not that I care. Stealing it would be like a power plant wanting to use a Double A battery."

"Yes, this box isn't something we can use, but it could be a threat. How did this…Box Ghost get his hands on it?" Savage questioned.

"Nyx." Klarion smiled wickedly.

"Hahahaha! Like father like daughter. Perhaps we should keep an eye on her."

* * *

><p>(Saturday-April 10, 2010)<p>

"This is wonderful!" The Lunch Lady smiled as she looked at the picnic that was set up.

"Er...Um…Thank you!" Box Ghost smiled. "I set all of it up myself!"

That was a lie. He had help from Pandora. She allowed him to use a spot on her land for the picnic and told some servants to help him cook. The Controller of Chaos hadn't forgiven the Box Ghost, but was a helpless romantic at heart.

The Box Ghost knew he still had a lot of work ahead of him, though. Pandora would have him doing yard work for years…sigh.

"Apple pie! I love apple pie!" The Lunch Lady explained as she sat down.

"I'm glad…" Box Ghost smiled. He owed Phantom for helping him ask the lady of his dreams out.

When the time came, he would back up the halfa.

* * *

><p>(Sunday-April 11, 2010)<p>

Vision watched as the halfas and their friends leave with Technus. She knew they would be back soon. The war was inevitable.

"Are you still here?" Vision questioned to the giant behind her.

"I don't understand you." Colossus stood by Vision. "You despise war. Yet here you are promoting it. You even invited the Fright Knight and the Spectre to this meeting."

"It has to be done." Vision stated. "We may not like it, but it has to be done. If I didn't address this issue, then it would have been ignored, and we would have all died."

"Hmm…" Colossus sighed. "You always were the one to see and address the difficult aspects of life."

"Isn't that why I, a child at the time, was appointed as one of the King's Advisers?" Vision question. "I know what needs to be done. Even if I hate every second of it…"

"Too true, Little Vision." Colossus laughed.

"You haven't called me that in a long time, Uncle Col." Vision noted as she stared up to the closest thing she had to a relative. "Am…I doing the right thing? Am I setting us up for disaster?"

"Well…" Colossus pondered for a moment. "You are placing a lot of responsibility on the shoulders of Phantom."

"So you think I'm making the wrong choice?" Vision questioned.

"No actually. I believe the opposite."

* * *

><p>(Sunday-April 25, 2010)<p>

"Well done pushing the Anti-Ectoterrorist Act, Lex." Queen Bee complimented.

"Thank you, but I doubt that it will be passed without something to push them over the edge." Luthor sighed. "We need to find a way to get if passed quickly if we want the time necessary to get the Fenton Exoskeleton and completely prepare for the invasion."

"Indeed, but the ghosts seem rather…frugal in their endeavors as of late." Ra's noted.

"Perhaps staging a catastrophe could work." Brain suggested.

"OOOHHH! I know. I know!" Klarion cheered.

"What is it, old friend?" Savage questioned.

"I know just the ghost to use! You see, there's an execution happening soon for a really destructive ghost. His name is Vortex…"

* * *

><p>(Monday-April 26, 2010)<p>

"Not that…huff…I'm not grateful…huff…Witch Boy…" Vortex eyed the lord of chaos. "But why…huff…did you free me?"

"Kukukukukuku!" Klarion grinned. "Do I really need a reason? I just like to bring the chaos. You do like chaos, right, Vortex?"

"Of…huff…course!" Vortex grinned.

Klarion formed a portal. "Then why don't you show the humans what chaos really is?"

* * *

><p>(Monday-April 26, 2010)<p>

**So much power was released…**

**Did an S-rank ghost die?...**

**Yes, but…**

**He didn't do so willingly…**

**Predictable…**

**So little useable energy was released from that…**

**Oh, well…**

**He would take what he could get…**

* * *

><p>(Monday-April 26, 2010)<p>

Superman was not in a good mood. The fight had gone as he wanted. He had underestimated the power of ghosts, both the good and the bad.

That was not what Superman was mad about, though. No, he was glad to have a possible ally that had so much potential. Superman looked at Phantom and saw the future.

No, what really got to Superman was those…Guys in White.

They killed a defenseless being! Vortex was down and defenseless, and they shot him in the back. And why? Just because he wasn't human. Because he was a ghost.

Superman felt his blood boil. Yes, these Guys in White would not get away with this. They would be punished for this murder.

Superman would personally see that justice would be served.

* * *

><p>(Monday-April 26, 2010)<p>

"Rachel!" Angela Roth cried. "How could reveal yourself to the ghost girl!?"

"If I didn't, people would have died…" Rachel explained. "What was I supposed to do?"

"I-I don't know." Angela sighed. "Nothing can be done now, though."

"She won't tell anyone. I know she won't." Rachel noted.

"I hope you're right…" Angela kneelt down to her daughter's level. "But I need you to promise me that you won't interfere again."

"But Mom!"

"Promise me!"

"…I promise…"

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-April 27, 2010)<p>

"Told you it would work!" Klarion laughed.

"You were correct, Klarion." Luthor laughed. "The UN is in panic. A few well-placed maneuvers and bribes will set everything in motion."

"Excellent." Ra's smiled. "And with the Necromancers, weapons, and ghost portal claws ready, everything will go exactly as planned.

"Don't forget about Phantom. His meddling could destroy everything." Brain noted venomously.

"Do I detect bitterness, Brain?" Queen Bee was amused. "I don't believe that a child could stop a war."

"He won't matter anyway." Savage grinned. "Agent Z stated that he will kill Phantom as soon as the act is passed."

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-May 4, 2010)<p>

"How could Phantom get away!?" Agent Z snarled at his men.

"H-he destroyed the Necromancer…" One agent timidly explained.

"Destroyed!? I was told that ghosts couldn't possibly destroy a Necromancer!" Agent Z felt his blood pressure rise.

"I-I'm sorry sir!" The agent stuttered out. "But when the ice ghost died, Phantom went into a craze!"

"Damn it!" Agent Z growled. "Then we'll have to resort to plan B. Set the trap up in Gotham City! He'll go there looking for answers, I know it."

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-May 4, 2010)<p>

**So much energy...**

**A ghost has ascended again...**

**So rare...**

**That last time was a few months ago...**

**Two ascensions had never occurred so close together...**

**Something must be causing this...**

**But he would not complain...**

**He was even stronger now...**

**It may not happen any time soon, but...**

**Eventually he will regain his full power...**

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-May 5, 2010)<p>

Vlad sighed as he walked out to his car. It was time to go. He would miss his home in Amity Park. The millionaire was happier here than he had been in a long time…

"Dad!" Dani called from the car. "Were are we even going?"

"Out of town…" Vlad muttered.

"What?! But we have to keep the people safe! The Guys in White will go out of control." Dani argued.

"We need to worry about our own safety…" Vlad noted.

"Then what about Danny!?" Dani questioned. "He isn't here yet? Why are we leaving now?"

"He had business to take care of…" Vlad sighed.

"Without us? We need to help him! I'll go get-" Dani was interrupted.

"Danielle!" Vlad shouted. "Now is not the time! Be silent! We need to leave now!"

"B-but…"

"Now!"

* * *

><p>(Saturday-May 8, 2010)<p>

"You want me to help you with self-defense?" Dick Grayson questioned.

"Yeah, you're pretty good right?" Barbra Gordon questioned.

"You could say that…" Richard smirked. "I'd be happy to help, but what's with the sudden request?"

"Don't know…" Barbra shrugged. "Just thought that I would need some ninja skills in the future."

* * *

><p>(Saturday-May 8, 2010)<p>

Artemis was laying down on the couch. Phantom had just left a little while ago. She was still in awe by what happened.

That was such a rush! Artemis knew that this stuff was in her blood, but wow! None her training exercises had been like that.

The real thing was awesome. Sniping down those agents was so thrilling. The blond wished she could do it again.

But Phantom was gone now. She would have to go back to her regular life. Eventually, her father would return, and she would be forced back into training.

Not to mention the ungodly amount of hints and pushes to join the life…

But…maybe she didn't. She enjoyed doing some good. Maybe she could done a mask in a different way.

Maybe…she could be a hero…

* * *

><p>(Sunday-May 9, 2010)<p>

Batman scowled as he peered down at the GIW base. Security was tight and right now, no one without GIW clearance could get into the base. Thus, Batman could only watch as the GIW scramble around the area checking for any further traps and problems.

Superman had been asking Batman to look into the Guys in White. Batman complied. These Guys in White were a special operations organization. They were created to capture and eradicate ghosts.

Yet they did not appear to be good at their jobs. Very few ghosts were reported to be captured by the GIW…Reported was the key word. Batman doubted that they gave the ghosts a chance to be captured.

Then there was that…Red X. The mercenary had literally appeared out of nowhere. He took Gotham by storm, then disappeared. Batman knew that the mercenary was most likely necessary connect to Danny Fenton/Phantom.

Fenton probably hired Red X to Gotham to discover the GIW's plans. Batman didn't blame the boy considering what happened only a few days ago. The Dark Knight did not know what to think of Red X.

The mercenary was cruel, cunning, and paranoid. Yet, he did not kill or injure to the point of permanent injury. In many ways, he was similar to the Dark Knight…except for some key points.

Red X seemed to enjoy hurting people. He would quickly resort to hurting innocents, and his main weapons seem to be guns…Ectoplasmic guns.

That was what confirmed the connection between Fenton and Red X. Not many people could provide weapons like that.

Batman did not know who this Red X was, and he doubted that Fenton would tell him anything about the mercenary. This mercenary needed to be investigated, but that would have to be on a later date.

Right now, Batman had to focus on the GIW…

"Batman!" Robin's voice called over his communicator. "Killer Croc is robbing a jewelry store!"

But that would have to wait as well…

"Copy that, Robin." Batman turned from his spot on the roof. "Where is the location?"

* * *

><p>(Sunday-May 9, 2010)<p>

Agent Z growled as he read the reports. The Gotham trap met a disastrous end. The mercenary Red X managed to make fools out of all his Gotham agents!

Red X arrived, tracked down the Scarecrow, single handedly defeat a platoon of GIW agents, and destroyed a Necromancer. All this was to find the base in Gotham. Then, he turned the base upside down. Distractions on all sides allowed the mercenary to sneak in and get all the data that was available.

Agent Z made a note to destroy any connection in the current data base that connected his more subtle partners. Luckily, the data at the Gotham base made it appear as if the Shadows, Brain, and Queen Bee were hired by him. If it was proved that they were directly involved, though, Agent Z would die. Luckily, the mercenary most likely wasn't hired by anyone on the side of the law.

No, he must be working for Phantom. Thus, Phantom would know the invasion plan and would try to stop it. He would try and play the hero. The ghost would go to the UN and try to stop the war.

That would be when he acted. He would personally kill Phantom. Now he just needed to get that damn Exoskeleton…

* * *

><p>(Monday-May 10, 2010)<p>

Jenifer watched as Danny went into the mansion. She had defied everything was raised to do and be to help the young man. Jinx has risked a lot to help Danny Fenton.

If anyone found out, she would be killed. Betrayal was unacceptable. Even she, who was the daughter of one of the world's most powerful and influential men, would not be forgiven.

It was depressing, but that was her life. She accepted it…

Until she met Danny. He was so different, so unique. Something about him made Jinx act more like Jenifer than a trained thief.

So did she regret helping Danny? Did she regret turning on her training? Did she regret betraying her father?

Hell no.

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-May 25, 2010)<p>

Savage smiled as he looked at the large energy storing machine in front of him. "It seems that our plan has finally come to pass."

"Woah!" Klarion danced around the warehouse they were in. "It's huge!"

"Yes, the size is necessary for the amount of energy we're about to drain." Brain noted.

Ra's questioned his comrade. "Are you sure this will work?"

"Of course, I calculated everything dozens of times." Brain noted. "As a ghost dies, it releases energy. This machine will collect the energy released from anywhere in the real world and the Ghost Zone."

"How much energy will we have after this?" Klarion interjected.

"Well, obviously not all the ghosts will die. The GIW aren't competent enough for that. But by my estimate, we will have enough to power the entire world's energy for two years, if all the ghosts I anticipated are killed." Brain noted.

"Fortunately, that won't be necessary." Savage laughed. "All we need is enough energy for the Ghoul Project."

"Are you sure this will work?" Ra's questioned. "This Ghoul Project…creating our own ghosts, giving humans ghost powers, making an uncountable amount of weapons…Even I find it farfetched, and I have lived a long time."

"Yep! I have to agree with the ninja!" Klarion frowned. "I'm all for the chaos of war, but killing all the ghosts seems a little extreme. Especially with the fact that we don't know how the ectoplasmic energy will react in such large quantities."

"I trust Brain's machine." Savage stated. "And even if we don't get as much energy as planned, we will still deal with the ghost threat. They can't be controlled or harnessed. Such a group of being will only hinder the growth of humanity. Their deaths will open new possibilities for humanity."

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-May 25, 2010)<p>

Death smiled as Danny disappeared. "I know you're watching, Destiny."

A man appeared behind Death. He was an elderly person wearing a brown cloak that covered most of his features. In his hands were a large old book that was chained to his right arm. "He's gone, I see."

"You can't see anything. You're blind." Death noted as she looked into her unfocussed eyes.

"No, I see everything. You know that." Destiny noted.

"I just like teasing you, older brother." Death smirked.

"You're humor is lacking, sister." Destiny stated.

"You're no fun…" Death sighed. "I guess this is it huh? Three times right? That's all you told me."

"Yes, this is the final time." Destiny explained. "He will not be able to deny you again."

"Then he must live, right?" Death questioned.

"I do not know…" Destiny sighed.

"You…don't know…" Death said these words slowly as if to taste them.

"Yes, his future is full of obscurity." Destiny explained. "Usually I know what will happen, but now I can only know what can happen."

"Is that why you gave him that nickname?" Death questioned. "Fate Changer?"

"I was not the one to give him that named. He earned it." Destiny stated. "It comes from the First Prophecy. I knew it was him when you first went to see him. My book changed to accommodate that miracle."

"I don't even want to know." Death laughed. "It would ruin the story…although, I have to question. How did those girls, Rachel and Nyx, know who he was in this 'prophecy'?"

"You've been watching him." That was a statement, not a question.

"Of course!" Death smiled. "He is so interesting!"

"If you are asking if I interfered, then no, I didn't." Destiny cracked a smile. "No, another being with the gift of sight interfered in that point."

"Who?"

"The master of time, of course. He knows Danny's role in their stories." Destiny explained. "Without him, they will die."

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-May 25, 2010)<p>

"That…" Ra's turned from the footage. "That should be impossible."

For once, Klarion was silent. He too was shocked.

Unlike his comrades, Savage seemed delighted. "That…was inspiring. In an instant, when faced with death, he evolved. He grew. He reached his full potential…"

"Vandal?" Brain questioned. He had never seen the immortal man look so…elated.

"Yes?" Savage turned to the Brain.

"Phantom's interference did alter the results." Brain explained. "Phantom absorbed most of the energy released by the war, but when let the energy leave, I managed to recover about half. I have no idea where the rest went."

"Half of what you estimated?" Savage was amused. "That is more than enough. Don't act like this was a failure. We gained more from this endeavor that I could have possibly anticipated."

"What do you mean?" Ra's questioned.

"We just witnessed the potential of humans at its fullest. A mortal became a god."

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-May 25, 2010)<p>

Frederich Isak Showenhower, also known as Freakshow, was currently enjoying his newly found freedom. The current chaos was exactly what he needed to escape. Luckily, Lydia was freed from the GIW just in time to break him out of prison. Not only that, he managed to retrieve a special little trinket.

"Muahahahhaaha!" Freakshow laughed as Lydia carried him away from the chaos. "I don't know what's going on, but I love it!"

Lydia was silent as always, but Freakshow could tell that she was pleased.

"There is so much to do! So much to plan!" Freakshow shouted. "But I suppose I should wait a while considering the mass ghost attack behind us. You simply must tell me what has happened!"

Lydia nodded.

"But none of that matters right now." Freakshow grinned. "Because with this, I'll be unstoppable..."

Lydia eyed the gauntlet.

"We, I meant we." Freakshow rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, my dear. Everything will work out. But for that to happen, I have to get the full powers of the Reality Gauntlet to work. Figuring out the order of the power sequence will take forever on my own. I will need to find a way to unlock the gauntlet's full power. Someone must know how to do it."

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-May 25, 2010)<p>

**So much energy…**

**So much power…**

**He could feel his strength beginning to return…**

**In a single day, so many ghosts had died…**

**He only received half the energy, but it was enough…**

**His powers were beginning to return…**

**But it was not enough…**

**He needed more power…**

**Not just ectoplasmic energy…**

**No, he needed magic and demonic energy as well…**

**It would take time, but eventually the energy would be released…**

**But now, he could work to shorten that time…**

**He would need help, though…**

**Luckily, he found two ghosts that were filled with enough hate and anger that he could use them…**

**Yes, they would do… **

**Nocturne and Aragon floated in a space of black energy…**

**They were both unconscious…**

**With their help, he could recover enough energy…**

**Reaper would soon return…**

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-May 25, 2010)<p>

There...there was so much pain. So much misery in the air! She could feel it! This was unlike anything she had ever experienced before! It was the misery of war and death!

Each ghost was giving her power beyond her dreams. Not only that, the humans were suffering as well. Yes, both sides were feeding her, making her stronger.

"AHAHEHEHAHEHAHEHAHEHA!" Spectra laughed insanely. "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

With this energy, she would be young and beautiful forever!

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-May 26, 2010)<p>

Undergrowth growled as he tunneled through the ground. He had went a little overboard. There was no doubt that he was now unwelcome in the Ghost Zone. It would be likely that he would be handed over to the Observants for his crimes. That was unacceptable!

He had to stay hidden for a while. Making too much noise would draw attention to him. No, he would need to be quiet. He would need to listen and wait.

But how he hated waiting! There was so much work to do! The humans must suffer for their sins, but acting now would accomplish nothing.

"Damn them all..." Undergrowth growled. "I will destroy them all!"

Yes, the time would come. His chance would arrive, and then the world will suffer. Just wait...

Just wait...

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-May 26, 2010)<p>

"So what's going to happen now?" Kid Flash asked his mentor.

"I'm not sure even Batman knows." The Flash stated as they ran down the streets.

"But the Guys in White are being shut down, right?" Kid Flash questioned.

"That much is certain." Flash nodded. "But almost everything else is up in the air."

"Well…" Kid Flash noted in thought. "Phantom's pulled off the impossible before. Maybe he can talk it out at the UN?"

"That might just happen."

* * *

><p>(Friday-May 28, 2010)<p>

"We should totally become heroes!" Raquel Ervin looked up at the older man.

Augustus Freeman frowned. "I don't believe that would be a good idea."

"Come on! A couple of kids did it on their own!" Raquel pointed to the picture of Phantom on the TV screen. "Why can't we do it?!"

"I would prefer not to draw attention to myself…" August sighed.

"Just think about the people you can help!" Raquel exclaimed. "If you become a hero, you can help the people whom you can't help as a lawyer."

"…Well…"

* * *

><p>(Sunday-May 30, 2010)<p>

Nine year old Cassandra Cain was scribbling in her diary. She had been paying close attention to the Phantom that annoyed her mother. The girl was surprised.

This Phantom was an actual ghost. A being that came back after death to haunt the living and fulfill an obsession. Cassandra didn't even know that such a creature to exist.

Not only that, Phantom was strong. Strong enough to lead an army. Strong enough to defy the Shadows' plans. Strong enough to annoy her mother…

Yes, the almighty, unbreakable, unfeeling Lady Shiva did not like Danny Phantom. Usually, her mother didn't let out an emotions. Lady Shiva didn't even show emotion to her own daughter.

Yet, this Phantom was able to bring out emotion. Even if the emotion was negative. In Cassandra's whole life, she never imagined that would be possible. She had always considered it impossible.

Cassandra looked at the picture of the teenage hero. She felt a blush rush to her face. Yes, the Phantom did the impossible.

Cassandra quite liked that…

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-June 1, 2010)<p>

"Mom! Mom! The package came!" Garfield Logan ran into their house.

"Gar!" Marie Logan laughed at her son's excitement. "Calm down, it's just a shirt!"

"Shirt!?" Garfield looked at her in disbelief. "No! It's a symbol!"

He held up the black shirt. It had a white logo on the front that many would recognize.

DP

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-June 9, 2010)<p>

Cassie Sandmark played with her blond hair was she watched the videos on Youtube. She was watching a duo of heroes unlike any other. These heroes didn't rely on adults. No, they fought and won without the need of an older hero.

The young blond girl admired these heroes. Both Phantom and Spirit inspired her. With her mother gone on so many expedition, Cassie's mind filled itself with dreams of heroics and romance to fill the loneliness.

How she wanted to be like them! Cassie wanted to fight and save people like the ghost heroes. They could do it! Why couldn't she?

"I wish I could fly…" Cassie whispered to herself.

* * *

><p>(Friday-June 11, 2010)<p>

"Neptune's Beard!" La'gaan shouted as he looked up to his older classmates and role models. "Did that really happen?! He led an entire army to defend his people!"

"Yes," Kaldur nodded as he looked across the various students who were listing to his story. "It was quite amazing."

"But he's about our age!" Tula covered her mouth with her hands. "How could he do that?"

"That's the question I suppose." Garth noted. "I'm sure that's the question on everyone's minds."

"Indeed…" Kaldur had to agree with that. Even he had spent quite a bit of time pondering this puzzle. He would never had believed that someone his own age could accomplish so much.

It made him want to work harder to improve himself. Kaldur wanted to be that type of person as well…

* * *

><p>(Saturday-June 12, 2010)<p>

"I bet I could take him!" Jason Todd heard on of his roommates yell.

Jason rolled his eyes. "Phantom could shatter concrete. You'd never stand a chance."

"Says you!" Jason's fellow orphan glared. "You're just a coward!"

"No, I'm a realist you dumbass." Jason smirked. "I'd pay you to pick a fight with him. As long as I don't have to scrape you off the pavement when he's done beating the hell out of you."

"You trying to pick a fight, Jase?!" The boy shouted.

Jason smirked at him arrogantly. "Why would I pick a fight with such weakling? The difference between us is even greater than you and Phantom."

* * *

><p>(Monday-June 14, 2010)<p>

"So Amity Park is naming Phantom and Spirit their official guardians?" Karen Beecher questioned as her boyfriend picked up a bowling ball.

"Yep." Mal Duncan nodded. "Not that surprised, though. Phantom's put that city on the map."

"After that stunt he pulled in New York? I suppose so." Karen agreed. "But that's a lot of responsibility for a couple of kids."

"I think they can handle it."

* * *

><p>(Tuesday-June 15, 2010)<p>

"Hahahahaha!" Tyler laughed at his friend. "Dude, you suck!"

"Shut up!" Jaime blushed as he picked himself off the pavement. "It's not like you can ride a skateboard any better than I can!"

"Yeah, but I at least I have the decency to fall on my face in private." Tyler joked.

"Well, I thought that if I did it in front of a lot of people, I would get better like…" Jaime trailed off.

"Are you still on that?" Tyler snorted. "Okay, what Phantom did was pretty cool, but you're not a superhero, and he is."

"Yeah…" Jaime sighed in sadness. "I'm just a kid that can't even skate."

Tyler punched him in shoulder. "Can't skate yet, you mean, right?"

"Thanks, Ty…"

* * *

><p>(Thursday-June 17, 2010)<p>

"Dick!" Barbara gave the boy an annoyed look. "Would you quick looking at your phone? You said you would help me!"

"Right!" Richard put his phone to the side. "Sorry, just taking a short break."

Barbra snorted. "Short? You've been sitting most of the time. What have you been looking at, anyway?"

"Oh nothing…" Richard smiled.

"Bet you were looking at a video of Phantom…" Barbra sighed. "That's all everyone seems to do these days. Not that I blame them.."

"Right…" Richard smiled. "A video of Phantom…"

Actually, it was a text from Wally West. He seemed really excited about Independence Day…

* * *

><p>(Friday-June 18, 2010)<p>

"Tim!" Tim Drake's mother called up to her son. "Get off that computer and go out to play! You'll ruin your eyes staring into that thing.

"Okay, Mom!" Tim clicked out of his files.

Tim Drake was a bright child. His mind was sharp and curious. He loved finding problems and solving them. That's why he figured out that Bruce Wayne was Batman.

His newest puzzle was the ghost hero Phantom. Time couldn't figure out how he did it. How does someone die by losing their body, only to reform it seconds later? Phantom didin't just do that, he came back with a strength that Tim couldn't even comprehend.

"How did he do it…" Tim muttered.

* * *

><p>(Sunday-June 20, 2010)<p>

His mind was filled with information. A constant flow of information war being transferred through his mind. He didn't judge the information, because the definitions were simple.

Fight.

Win.

Destroy.

Everything running through his mind was to better him. Each thought made him stronger and more knowledgeable. He understood that, so he didn't judge them. Each thought was important.

Some thoughts…some information was more important than the other information, though. One of those thoughts was his future fight with Superman. Like that, though, most of those thoughts and dreams involved killing.

Except for one. One single thought, one single dream was different. In fact, it showed him the opposite of what he usually saw. It wasn't the concept of killing. No… it was…

"**All this time, I haven't let one thing go. I've always hated the people who have done me and my family wrong.**" Phantom spoke. "**In the end, I've been bitter and hateful. But it all ends today because despite what anyone says or does, I…**"

Phantom dropped Agent Z. For a moment Agent Z was sure he was going to die. He looked up in horror as Phantom's white eyes glared into his.

Then, the white energy surrounding Phantom slowly began to fade. The energy turned green then disappeared. The pure white eyes changed too. Phantom's neon green eyes appeared instead.

The power that Phantom had used to defeat the Exoskeleton was completely gone. He allowed the feelings of anger and vengeance leave. For the first time, Phantom just let it all go. He was no longer angry.

"…forgive you."

Mercy.

Forgiveness.

Heroism.

The Superboy enjoyed this set of images a lot more than the others.

* * *

><p>(Monday-June 21, 2010)<p>

Since her arrival on Earth, M'gann had watched a lot of television. That was her way of learning of the human culture. She didn't have a lot of experience with others.

White Martians did not socialize well. The constant hatred sent at the white Martians caused them to be withdrawn and antisocial. But M'gann didn't want to be like this anymore.

She now had a chance at a new life, and she did not want to waste it. So, she watched and learned. And what she learned was amazing.

This…Danny Phantom had been discriminated against. The world seemed to be against him despite his good intentions. Yet he fought on until the end. He did what no one thought he could do. He achieved the impossible each time.

M'gann watched again as the ghost boy forgave the man who wronged him so. The Martian was awed by this. She didn't know if she could be so forgiving. So many people had hurt her on her own planet.

At that moment, M'gann stopped and thought, "What would I do if I was in his spot…"

* * *

><p>(Thursday-June 24, 2010)<p>

"Dad…" Zatanna looked over at her father during her lesson.

"Yes?" Zatara smiled at his daughter.

"Are ghosts our enemies?" Zatanna questioned.

"What would make you think that?" Zatara frowned.

"Well…" Zatanna looked down at her book. "This says that magic can hurt ghosts, and that ghost's powers can deeply hurt any magic user."

"Hmm…" Zatara thought for a moment. "Yes, ghosts and magic users could be considered natural opposites. We can hurt eachother in ways that aren't possible for anyone else. But that does not mean we have to fight. The capacity to hurt does not mean that we are enemies. We are only enemies if we let that capacity for pain to allow us to hate each other."

"So we…can co-exist?" Zatanna questioned.

"Not only that," Zatara smiled. "I believe that we can be friends and comrades."

* * *

><p>(Friday-June 25, 2010)<p>

One month after the GIW, the world was still buzzing about the ghost's victory. Everyone had seen the footage and the data. The odds of the ghosts winning seemed to be impossible. Yet, they did it. They did the impossible, and survived.

Rachel Roth watched as her friends argue. She enjoyed being with them…sometimes. They could get annoying, but Rachel was glad to have them.

She needed to enjoy this time while she could. Eventually it will all come to an end, and she would be forced to face impossible odds.

Rachel could only hope that she could do the impossible as well.

* * *

><p>(Friday-June 25, 2010)<p>

Nyx sighed as she left her friends. The day had ended, and it was time to go home. The shadow girl wished she could stay in the human world more.

Her mother wanted her to get home by dark, though. Nyx knew better than to disobey that rule. But…

"Wish I could stay a bit longer…" Nyx noted to herself. "Gets so boring at home…"

She never noticed the eyes watching her. Now wasn't the time…Pandora had to be out of the way first. Then…then he would act.

* * *

><p>(Saturday-June 26, 2010)<p>

Virgil Hawkins frowned as his sister messed up his hair. "Sharen! Stop that!"

Sharen just laughed at her brother. "I just think it's cute. My little brother is playing hero."

Richard Foely glared at his friend's sister. "We're not playing hero…"

"Right!" Sharen smirked as she walked out of the living room. "And you haven't been acting like you can fly and shoot energy out of your hand either…"

"Come on, Rich!" Virgil stood. "Let's go outside. My sister stunk up the living room."

"Alright! Just let me grab my backpack."

* * *

><p>(Sunday-June 27, 2010)<p>

Artemis Crock smiled as she talked into her cellphone. "Hey, Danny! How's it going?"

"_Better than last month…" _Phantom noted. _"Every things finally calming down. Glad to hear from a friend, though. What have you been up to?"_

"Well…that job I did with you inspired me." Artemis looked at the green outfit on her bed. "I've been preparing."

"_Oh no…"_ Phantom sighed.

"Yeah, I need a favor." Artemis stated. "You know Fenton right? Do you think you could get him to make me some special arrows?"

* * *

><p>(Monday-June 28, 2010)<p>

"But, Dad!" Victor complained to his father. "I don't want to move! All my friends are here. My life is here."

"I'm sorry, Victor." Silas Stone tried to calm his son down. "But this offer at Axion Labs can't be passed up. The pay, benefits, and opportunities provided by Mr. Masters will make our lives so much better."

"I never even heard of Axion Labs." Victor noted. "Where is it?"

"Amity Park." Silas smiled.

"You mean..." Victor lit up a bit. "The place where Danny Phantom lives?"

"Yep!"

Victor paused. Well...maybe this move wouldn't be the worst thing to ever happen...

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-June 28, 2045)<p>

Bart Allen looked around nervously. "Keep an eye out."

"Please!" The girl laughed. "They won't catch us."

"They will if you don't keep your voice down." Bart hissed. "Do you want to be moded?

"Says the most impulsive and loudest guy on the planet." Luna smiled as she she scratched her black messy hair.

"Shut up, Fenton." Bart glared. "Are going to help me spray-paint the Phantom logo or what?"

* * *

><p>(Monday-June 28, 2010)<p>

"Father..." Jinx bowed before the image of her father on the screen.

"Jinx...Jenifer..." The man looked at his daughter with affection. "Are you alright? I gave you this time off to clear your head. Did it help."

"It did, Father." Jinx smiled. She now had closure. "I am ready for my next assignment."

"Excellent. I will send for you immediately." The man smiled.

"I look forward to seeing you, Fath-...Daddy."

"And I you, Jenifer." Vandal Savage smiled down at his daughter.

* * *

><p>(Wednesday-June 30, 2010)<p>

"We are tired with your interfering, Clockwork!" One Observant exclaimed as they appeared behind the time ghost.

"You know that I did not interfere with the war. Doing so would mess up the time-line." Clockwork noted. "There are always consequences for interfering..."

"Then why did Phantom come to you?" The other Observant questioned.

"Because he has changed." Clockwork smiled. "And he will continue to change. How that change will end is anyone's mystery, though."

"Yet you've been trying to interfere with Phantom for years." The first Observant growled.

"Oh?" Clockwork seemed amused. "How so?"

"We've been researching. You were the one who informed the demon girl and magic ghost of Phantom's existence and influence." The second Observant stated.

"At least use their names..." Clockwork sighed. "And I wouldn't call that interfering. I merely left hints for them."

"You led the demon girl straight to the First Prophesy!" The first Observant yelled.

"Dropping a few bread crumbs didn't hurt anything." Clockwork chuckled.

"You literally told Pandora's daughter about the Phantom Family." The second Observant glared.

"You can't prove that. I have never met young Nyx before." Clockwork smiled.

"Do you understand what you're doing? All this manipulation could lead to disastrous consequences." The first Observant sighed. "You mock us for our vows of remaining neutral and never acting ourselves-"

"Yet you tried to execute Vortex..." Clockwork mentioned.

"And look where that ended!" The second Observant exclaimed. "We interfered too much and it led to disaster."

"That's because you only look at the straight line. My interference may have consequences, but I have faith that it will all end well." Clockwork explained.

"The timeline is now completely out of control. You can't possibly know how it will end." The first Observant noted.

"I can see the possibilities." Clockwork lowered his head. "It is now left up to-"

"Phantom? Yes, you've already told us of your idiotic faith in him." The second Observant rolled his eye.

"No, it is left up to him, his family, and his team." Clockwork turned away from the Observants. "It is they that will shape the future. I will no longer interfere, because it will no longer be necessary."

"You do realize that all this might not end well for you." The first Observant noted.

"Possibly." Clockwork looked over to a nearby thermos. "I very well might meet my end, but it won't be by his hands."

"Then who?"

"That, I cannot tell you."

* * *

><p>(Thursday- July 1, 2010)<p>

Joel sighed tiredly. He scratch the scar leading from his right eyebrow up to his black hair. His training always pushed him to his limits.

Joel was always talented in the art of combat. He could use any type of weapon almost perfectly. His talent was what made him valuable. It was why he was alive.

But eventually, his talent wouldn't be enough. Despite his talent, Joel despised violence and killing. The Shadows had no use for such a fighter…

Suddenly his door was opened. The master walked in. "Hello, Joel."

"Great One…" Joel looked over to the man who saved his life and tried to turn him into an assassin.

"I have a special assignment for you." Ra's Al Ghul smiled.

"I already said that I refuse to kill." Joel noted.

"That's why you're being assigned to the Ghoul Project…"

* * *

><p>(Friday-July 2, 2010)<p>

"So…Danny Phantom will be at the Hall of Justice in two days?" Speedy questioned his mentor.

Green Arrow mad sure to break the news gently. "Yes, Superman asked yesterday."

Speedy gained a pensive look. "Is the League doing this…because of the war?"

"That's part of the reason, yes." Green Arrow noted. "The truth is that Phantom has a lot of potential as either an ally or a threat. I think Batman just wants to keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't make the wrong choices."

Speedy couldn't argue with that. Phantom was dangerous. He would need to be monitored, but…that was the day. The partners of the heroes had worked years to get to this point. Phantom hadn't been in the game for even a year yet.

But he had accomplished a lot. Phantom had improved and fought. Speedy could respect that.

"Alright, fine," Speedy sighed. "Phantom's earned this like the rest of us."

* * *

><p>(Saturday-July 3, 2010)<p>

George Zempell, also known as Agent Z, gritted his teeth as he sat across form the Belle Reve Penitentiary's psychiatrist. "Look, Strange, I have no interest in talking to you about my feelings."

"I understand." Hugo Strange smiled at the prisoner before him. This Agent Z had been convicted of treason, several attempts of murder, murder, and arson. In all, the man was lucky not to get the death sentence. Strange wondered what the disgraced agent would do if he learned that the only reason he wasn't killed was because Danny Phantom had secretly pleaded for the man's life to be spared.

He probably wouldn't take it well.

"We don't have to talk about anything at all." Strange stated kindly. "Although, I do have an interest in hearing exactly what your plan was."

"You know what the plan was!" Agent Z glared. "I was going to erradicate the filthy ghosts."

"Ah, but what about after that?" Strange adjusted the circular classes on his face. "You tricked every government in the UN. You tried to murder an uncountable number of souls. Did you really believe that you would get away with it?"

"Yes." Agent Z grunted. "I have allies in high places."

"Yes, allies in high places..." Strange chuckled. "And I bet those allies would love to help you in here."

"What?"

"I'm sure they would want to get you out of this dark prison and into...the light." Hugo Strange smiled.

"...You..." Agent Z eyed the psychiatrist.

"And I'm sure that if you were to receive a chance to get out of this prison, you'd quickly take it." Hugo Strange mentioned.

"And this chance would be..."

"Later, but it would happen." Strange answered simply.

"What do I have to do?" Agent Z questioned.

"How would you like to be part of the Ghoul Project?"

* * *

><p>(Saturday-July 3, 2010)<p>

Walker stood before several screens. It had take a lot of work to get up to this point, but noting his knowledge of the Ghost Zone and the beings in it had helped. "I appreciate you hearing me out."

"We are not ones to ignore such important assets." L-3 commented.

"That is, if you can help us like you said you can." L-4 stated.

"Well, it depends what you want." Walker noted.

"We want what's best for the world." L-2 seemed to smile.

"And my help is what's best, I suppose." Walker smirked.

"You were an influential person in the Ghost Zone, and an experienced ghost." L-6 mentioned. "And we're always on the lookout for some potential allies."

"Yes..." Walker nodded. "Allies."

Walker would not describe these humans as allies. They didn't even trust him with their faces and names. No, he would give them just enough to make himself useful. But he would not give them enough to hurt him or the Ghost Zone as a whole. No, doing so would break the rules.

In fact, he would save the most important bit of information for himself. The real facts about the halfas would remain secret. If only for Walker to have his personal revenge.

But in the end...he might have to break some rules. But that was okay. Sometimes you had to break the law to uphold it after all.

* * *

><p>(Saturday-July 3, 2010)<p>

Black Beetle was always on the lookout for future conquests. Planets to take over. Future allies to recruit. Foes to defeat. Threats to eliminate. The large armor-covered Reach member was alert to all of them.

Imagine his surprise when found them all in a single recording. "Soldier, where did this recording come from?"

The Reach soldier stuttered. "T-the p-planet c-called Earth, sir. It seemed to be sent by a group called...the Light."

Black Beetle examined the recording. The white haired boy was strong...incredibly strong. As a warrior and fighter, Black Beetle knew possible threats. He recognized the difference between the strong and the weak. He recognized the armor on the machines he destroyed. Ectoranium did not break easily through physical means. Yet the boy had ripped through them easily.

"How is translation going?" Black Beetle asked the soldier.

"We managed to translate about half so far." The soldier answered. "We did manage to get the child's name. He is called...Danny Phantom."

"Danny Phantom?" Black Beetle laughed. "Hahahahahahahahaha! How amusing. I think we should keep an eye on this Earth. If the people there have even a fraction of that power, they might be of some use."

* * *

><p>(Sunday-July 4, 2010)<p>

Gordon G. Godfrey bowed. "I apologize for not reporting it sooner, Master. I had to be 100% certain before I reported this."

Gordon was in a throne room. Fire was burning everywhere. Many people would call the room depressing. Chains hung from the ceiling. Red carpets and drapes gave the impression of the room being covered in blood. Windows overlooked a dying and suffering world of people.

"So…" A deep booming voice called out. "This occurred on the planet Earth?"

"Yes, Master." Godfrey nodded.

"To think, **he** would appear on such a backwater planet." The Master smiled widely. The various female slaves attending to him sighed in relief. Usually one of them died when the Master was upset. "And here I thought the only one worth anything on that planet was the Kryptonian."

"That's why you sent me to Earth, right?" Godrey noted. "To decide whether the planet had potential or not?"

"Yes, and I'm glad I did…" The Master stood and approached the image of Danny Phantom covered in white light. "And thus the First Prophecy has finally begun to occur."

"But no one remembers what the prophecy really is." Godfrey stated.

"There are many interpretations and translations, yes, but everyone agrees on the last two lines…"

_He will deny death three times and ascend to absolute power._

_Beware the Phantom that can change fate, for his decisions will bring great change.  
><em>

The Master grinned. His grey, tombstone like head showed his anticipation. His massive arms crossed as he contemplated his next move. "The time is now approaching for my conquest. We have found my future partner."

"Master?" Godfrey questioned.

"Soon, the entire universe will kneel before me." Darkseid grinned evilly. "Beware the Phantom indeed…"

* * *

><p><strong>And that is the special chapter Behind Obsession. Hopped you enjoyed. In about one week, the sequel will be out. I will place a notice on this story that the new story is out.<br>**

**Thank you all for reading and please remember to...**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**


	24. Sequel Notice

**Notice to all readers,**

**The sequel to Obsession officially has been posted. Its title is "Absolution." You can either find it in my profile or in the Danny Phantom/Young Justice x-over section. Please enjoy.**


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